I put in a Zoysia lawn 17 years ago and absolutely love it. My lawn is the envy of the neighborhood. Keep in mind there are many varieties and they differ in appearance and characteristics. I planted Zoysia Meyer which has thin blades and is very soft on your bare feet.

I put in an irrigation system before laying sod and I water it twice a week for about an hour per zone. (I live on a large lake so my only recurring irrigation cost is a little electricity).

I chose Zoysia mainly because of it's tolerance to foot traffic. It rated excellent for that characteristic in a guide put out by our extension service. I had two big dogs at the time and I wanted something that would hold up to their activities.

My lawn thrives in full sun and is weaker in partial shade. It does very well in our hot humid summers (Midlands of SC) and it goes completely dormant and turns an ugly shade of taupe in our cool winters (with daily lows in the twenties). But all the Centipede lawns (which are the most common lawns in this area) go dormant and brown at the same time so my yard does not stick out.

Contrary to what many told me, Zoysia is not a high maintenance turf. I cut it once a week with a rotary mower and I mulch the clippings. Aerate it once every year or so. Put down weed and feed usually twice a year (costs $15 and takes15 minutes using a broadcast spreader). I power raked it (dethatched) one time a few years ago and probably need to do that again this summer. It does send out runners, but it is not overly invasive into planting beds. Like any grass, you have to keep up with the borders on your beds.

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