Plant St. Augustine three months before the first frost and keep it moist. The only way to determine your soil’s fertility and pH is with a soil test. Zoysia doesn’t need mowed as often as St. Augustine, and it is tolerant of a wide range of poor soils. St. Augustine has higher nitrogen requirements than zoysia, so it needs a fertile soil or consistent fertilizer applications. The look of your lawn reveals to any passerby how well you’ve mastered it. Improving the soil will cut down maintenance requirements of both kinds of grass, so topdressing after aeration each year will gradually cut the time and money invested in your lawn. Besides climate, soil is the most important factor for turf choice. In this article we will talk about Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses that are good for warm climates. Side By Side Comparison, St. Augustine Lawn Care Fertilizer Schedule (Free Printable). Best Fertilizer For Clay Soil Lawn: Why Ingredients Matter, Recovers well from low-height mowing and dethatching, Does not choke out weeds as soon as St. Augustine grass. This grass can tolerate a pH of 5.0-8.5 (source), giving it a larger range than zoysia. One of my neighbors decided to replace his lawn with Zoysia without the homeowner associations’ approval. St. Augustine does not handle power-raking, but you can use a hand rake each spring to remove an unhealthy thatch layer. St. Augustine and Zoysia have similar growing zones, so which grass you choose will come down to your soil classification and how much effort you want to put into improving the soil in your yard. Both of these are hearty enough to tolerate the challenges present in these rough areas. Saint Augustine is a traditionally beloved grass and elegant type of grass, but with weather conditions and water availability becoming less and less sure in the state of Texas you are probably better off investing your money in a hardier grass that is more versatile and more tolerant of drought. An attractive yard provides an elegant and relaxing space to enjoy on the weekend or after a long day. The most common warm-season species are bermudagrass, buffalo grass, centipede grass, seashore paspalum, St. Augustine and Zoysia grass. See Can You Dethatch St. Augustine Grass? For more information, read Is St. Augustine Grass Drought Tolerant? Zoysia is one of the recommended species of warm-season grass for clay soils. Better toleration of aeration and dethatching. In this article, we will compare and contrast these types of grasses. It handles dethatching and aeration well, so if you topdress each year with compost, you may be able to skip fertilizing and irrigation. Both grasses tolerate some shade, but St. Augustine is more shade tolerant than zoysia. There are many factors to consi… Zoysia may need dethatching every few years, but this can be reduced by practicing annual core aeration. It will tolerate a wider range of temperatures than zoysia, but it must have good drainage and consistent irrigation in order to thrive. I realize that I can fertilize, water and wait for the St Aug to fill in, but I'm thinking of converting to Empire Zoysia. When it comes to sunlight, zoysia is more shade-tolerant than Bermuda and, as such, is a better candidate for lawns with areas of moderate shade. Then depending on the severity of that shade, one variety of St. Augustine or Zoysia may work better than another. Both St. Augustine and zoysia are warm-season, creeping grasses with good drought tolerance. Let’s start off with the most important element for plant life: water. During a drought, zoysia may appear to be less resilient than St. Augustine, but zoysia always recovers from drought with irrigation or rainfall, while St. Augustine may not recover once it has turned brown. Nonetheless, it is a traditional favorite. Zoysia is susceptible to brown spot, rust, and leaf spot. Mow every 5-14 days to maintain the proper height. Best for Shaded Areas with Sprinkler Systems. Zoysia tolerates a wider range of climates and soils than St. Augustine. They are: Bermuda grass, Zoysia Grass and St Augustine grass. St. Augustine is a dense, bluish-green turf that should be mowed 2”-4” tall. Bermuda grass is second in popularity, and Zoysia (a fairly recent addition to Texas grasses) is gaining ground. Both are warm-season grasses and are widely planted throughout the South and warmer regions of the U.S. Please help us, we don’t know what to do! Warm-season grasses, though less … It does not hold up to foot traffic as well as zoysia, and it does not fill in as fast after aeration or damage. (See Does Lawn Aeration Really Work? Clay soils tend to become compacted, which leaves very little pore space for drainage. Sprigs are sections of stolons cut from sod that you spread over bare soil and press into the lawn with a heavy roller. Your email address will not be published. You can plant zoysia any time from mid spring to 8 weeks before the first frost. However, zoysia has a high drought-tolerance, so if you notice brown patches that don’t recover after irrigation, treat for chinch bugs before they can spread to the rest of your turf. Seeds may take up to 3 weeks to germinate, and you must keep the soil moist during that time. We have just moved to our first house, the previous owner put a really nice Zoysia grass everywhere, but now it is dying under the invasion of St.Augustine grass from our both neighbors. Zoysia spreads with stolons, like St. Augustine, but it also spreads using below-ground runners called rhizomes. For best results, all three of these types of grass should be watered deeply once a week using a minimum of one inch of water. This grass sends out runners that can help stabilize erosion-prone soil. It is also more tolerant of dethatching. Of the types of grasses for Texas, St Augustine is a long time favorite. Purchase Zoysia plugs from a reputable grower where they are guaranteed to grow or replaced free (link to Zoysia Farms). Warm-season grasses are generally creeping grasses, which means they send out runners to put down roots and establish new leaves. Both zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) It’s surprising that St Augustine is as popular as it is because it is actually not very drought hearty and it … Copyright © Lawn Service Grapevine 2015. After a week without moisture, zoysia will go dormant until the next rainfall, and then quickly green up again. Zoysia handles clay soil much better than St. Augustine. Bermuda grass does well in zones 7, 8, 9 and 10, while St. Augustine grass really only performs well in zones 8 through 10. Zoysia sod is more expensive than St. Augustine, and can cost anywhere from $.50-$.85/sq’ foot. Sandy soils drain easily, which can contribute to drought conditions in dry climates. Related Reading: Will Zoysia Grow In Clay Soil? St. Augustine grass is best suited to warm-arid regions such as Florida and the Gulf Coast region. It’s surprising that St Augustine is as popular as it is because it is actually not very drought hearty and it consumes quite a bit of water. I’m trying to decide between TifTuf bermuda and Zenith zoysia. Zoysia is a popular choice for homeowners because it can tolerate shade, drought, cold and traffic. St. Augustine also requires good drainage, which means a silty or sandy soil and higher amounts of organic matter. Product recommendations not personally owned are based on the author’s knowledge of the company, product, reliability, and reputation. Recommended Reading: St. Augustine Lawn Care Fertilizer Schedule (Free Printable). Occasionally, it will be found in areas of California. Therefore, the care schedules are very similar, with St Augustine being slightly more labor-intensive than zoysia. It is also important to have a consistent and abundant supply of water for Saint Augustine. If your lawn turns a bluish color, or if footprints remain when you walk across it in the evening, irrigate ¾”-1” the following morning (source). While zoysia is a good choice for low-maintenance lawns, there are some climates where St. Augustine is the better option. Here Are The Facts. Zoysia vs. Centipede Grass. 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