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Our knowledgeable staff here at Garden-Ville are available to answer many of the questions you might have about gardens, landscaping, and trees. Many problems with plants, however, cannot be responsibly diagnosed other than in person. We're located in central Texas and may not be familiar with the details of gardening in very different climate or soil zones. One of the guiding principles of organic growing is adapting methods to the particularites of local soil and climate. With that in mind we'll do our best to answer your question, but if we can't we'll be happy to help you find the appropriate resources or professionals in your area.

Feel free to browse the topics below to see if we've already answered a question similar to yours. If you can't find the information you need, the question submission form is located at the bottom of the page.

  • Amy, I live in Tyler, Texas and I am considering zoysia for my lawn. Is zoysia a good type of lawngrass for this part of the country? If so, which varieties do you recommend? I have virtually no shade since all trees are not yet matured, and I am looking for a dense dark green lawn. Most of the information I have found on zoysia mentions that it needs to be mowed with a reel mower. Can a rotary type mower not be used on zoysia? Please help.

    4/8/200810:14:44 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Lawn Questions, Zoysia

    Jon,

    Zoysia is a great type of grass, it is good with drought and with traffic. JaMur would be a good type for you to use since you have trees that will eventually shade the lawn. As for mowing, you can mow with a rotary mower just make sure you do not mow any lower than two inches, it would be a good idea to make sure the blade is sharp also.

  • I recently killed all vegetation on my lawn with round-up and am interested in planting Amazoy zoysia plugs in my yard. I realize that in the winter, this grass will no be green and would like to use place a perennial rye grass seed once the zoysia is fully grown in for winter months. Will the zoysia kill off the rye grass or will the rye still grown in the winter when mixed with zoysia?

    3/3/20083:53:11 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Zoysia

    Amber,

    The rye will grow in the winter months when the zoysia is dormant, once the soil starts to warm up the rye will die off and the zoysia will come back. You will have to seed the rye every year since it is an annual grass. Don't forget to spread a half inch layer of compost and an organic fertilizer on the grass in the spring to help the zoysia out in the spring and summer months. If you have any other questions please let me know.

  • Last winter (December 06) we had a zoysia yard put in. Without reliving all the gory details (and upsetting myself again), I will say the grass was laid over wet, red clay. Now, some of the grass is doing well, some is barely holding on, but the most disgusting thing, if you should use a riding mower, the effect would be as driving on a rub-board road. From a distance the yard look fairly level but it is awful to walk in. How can we eventually level out the yard, but firstly how can we get it all healthy? I also learned all zoysia is not equal. We used El Toro (I think)for the large area. This spring my husband and I laid zorro zoysia in the front. That pallet was and is the most gorgeous grass I've ever seen. It is thick and lush and dark green. Am I asking the impossible that my poor grass in the back have a chance to be lush and green. Thank you so much, diane

    6/12/20074:50:56 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Lawn Questions, Zoysia

    Garden-Ville has a product called Sports Turf Plus, it is a combination of compost, washed sand, and green sand (for iron). If you spread out a 1/2" layer of STP every spring and fall over the next couple of years you will have a healthy lush green grass and the sand in the mix will help to level out the areas. You do not want to do it all at one time because you will run the risk of killing off the grass in the lower spots. If you are not in the Austin/ San Antonio Texas area find a soil yard that sells a compost and sand mixture and spread it out. Don't forget to fertilize twice a year with Garden-Ville's Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2.

  • Dear Amy, I live off hwy46 & 281. I'm trying to establish and place full sod on 2,400 sq feet in my backyard. I will need to build up soil 3-4 inches before placing sod. I'm interested in Jamur Zoysia. Do you know where I can buy 6-7 pallets? Will this type hold up to a riding lawnmower? Is there special soil I should use as my base? Thanks, Tim :)

    5/3/20073:35:28 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Turfmaster, Zoysia

    Tim, you might want to check with Milberger Nursery, Turfgrass of America, or other places like that in San Antonio to see if they have the Zoysia available. Make sure the soil has compost and sand in it to give the root system a soil that is easy and healthy to grow into, nothing is worse than companies that come in with generic topsoil that is full of weeds, rocks, etc and lay the sod on it only to stress the grass out when it is planted. Garden-Ville has a couple of soils that would work great for your needs, the first is the Turfmaster mix it is a mixture of compost, topsoil, orange sand, and rice hulls and is great for planting grass and is relatively inexpensive. The second is the Lawn and Garden Soil which is almost the same as the Turfmaster except the topsoil is composted to ensure no weed seeds are present. Both soils are screened to ½” and are easy to work with. By the way you will need about 30 cubic yards of soil to cover the area at 4” deep.

  • What is my best option for installing Zoysia grass seed with existing winter grass (rye grass) in place?? Will I need to kill off the winter grass prior to seeding or can I overseed?? I had a swimming pool installed in my backyard last September, and after the installation was complete the yard was pretty much a wreck. Actually the bermudda grass that was there before was in sad shape. Once the contractors were done I killed off the existing lawn, and a few weeks later removed all the dead grass and thatch. At this point I purchased 20 yards of your topsoil and leveled out the yard as needed, and spread winter grass seed (rye grass) to keep the soil in place. The yard is established now and looking great after several mowings. Knowing now that the grass will die off once the cool nights end or summer heat is upon us, I'm wanting to start a new lawn with Zoysia seed. Can this be accomplished by overseeding?? Would I have better results with plugs?? Should I kill off the winter and lay palets?? What is my best alternative??? Pleas help. Thanks, Ben

    4/2/20073:03:45 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Lawn Questions, Zoysia

    Ben,

    I would recommend that you over seed with the Zoysia since your yard is leveled out, but if you want instant results and do not mind paying more then laying the sod squares would be the way to go. If you do decide to use the seed I would recommend that you mix the seed with a good organic fertilizer like the Soil Food 6-2-2 and broadcast it over the yard. As for killing off the grass, I would not spend the time and money to kill off the grass that will die in a month or two on its own.  Either way just make sure that you keep the area watered to help the grass seeds or squares take root.

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