New Zoysiagrass Lawn in SOMD - Ask Extension
Dear UMD Gardening Experts,
I have attached the results from my Soil Analysis Report and my Soil Texture Report for you to help in making possible re...
Knowledgebase
New Zoysiagrass Lawn in SOMD #657785
Asked June 29, 2020, 5:35 PM EDT
Dear UMD Gardening Experts,
I have attached the results from my Soil Analysis Report and my Soil Texture Report for you to help in making possible recommendations.
I live in Southern Maryland and am planning to plant a new lawn (~6500 sq. ft.) with Zoysia seed (Zenith) next Spring. I got a soil test done recently and it says I need to apply the following:
Nitrogen: 2.87 lbs/1000 sq. ft.
Phosphate: 2.53 lbs/1000 sq. ft.
Potash: 2.07 lbs/1000 sq. ft.
Lime 103 lbs/1000 sq. ft.
## Planting Plan ##
(A modified version of this plan: https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16808)
T Minus 7 Months: Put down 50 lbs/1000 sq. ft of lime to raise the ph (wait 6 months to apply another 50 lbs/1000 sq. ft.)
T Minus 7 Weeks: Mow the lawn low and collect grass clippings.
T Minus 6 Weeks: Apply glyphosate to kill the entire lawn.
T Minus 5 Weeks: Mow lawn low and collect grass clippings.
T Minus 4 Weeks: Add ¼” of topsoil everywhere and level the lawn. Apply 2 lbs/1000 sq. ft. of 1:1:1 fertilizer, 0.87 lbs/1000 sq. ft. of 1:0:0 fertilizer, and 50 lbs/1000 sq. ft. of lime.
T Minus 3 Weeks: Apply a second round of glyphosate to kill remaining weeds.
T Minus 1 Week: Start raking to make sure top ¼” of soil is not compacted.
T Minus 2 Days: Apply final round of glyphosate
June 1: Rake again. Plant Zoysia seed. Rake again.
T Plus 14 Days After Germination (DAG): Apply 0.2 lbs/1000 sq. ft. of 1:0:0 quick-release fertilizer
T Plus 21-28 DAG: Apply tenacity (4oz/acre rate no nis) and it depends on the weed pressure.
T Plus 28 DAG: Apply 0.2 lbs/1000 sq. ft. of 1:0:0 quick-release fertilizer
## Questions: ##
1) Should I use a water roller after leveling the lawn and after seeding?
2) How important is it to put down a drop cover after seeding?
3) The law says you can’t put down more than 0.9 lb/1000 sq. ft. of fertilizer per application and I need to put down ~ 3 times that. Can/should I put down 3 applications in one day?
4) After the grass/weeds die, do I need to rake them up or till them into the soil? Or can I just put topsoil over the dead plants?
5) My soil is very hard (compact?) to the point I have to put almost all my weight(~150 lbs) on a 6” flat head screwdriver to get it down all the way (after it’s been raining). The soil texture result say I have a “loam” soil type (25% sand, 46% silt, 26% clay). When I add topsoil, should I till my lawn to amend the soil with whatever organic matter the topsoil has and loosen my soil up? If so, how deep should I till?
6) Does fertilizer/lime need to be tilled into the soil? Or can I put it down then water the yard?
Any other guidance and/or suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
St. Mary's County Maryland
Expert Response
Please read through our page on growing zoysiagrass in Maryland: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/planting-and-maintaining-zoysia-lawn
We recommend that you follow our guides for renovation: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/lawn-renovation-and-overseeding
or starting a new lawn: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/starting-new-lawn
These are specifically targeted for Maryland growing conditions.
We would definitely recommend that you rototill as deep as you can. Incorporate the fertilizer, lime and any soil amendments. Lime can be added far in advance, but fertilizer should not because it can simply wash through the soil and be lost by the time the grass can use it. Plant debris can be tilled in except you may not want to do so if weeds had seeds or if the weeds were the type that regenerate from a tiny bit--such as creeping Charlie.
(Incidentally, we hope that the soil test results are specifically aimed at a zoysia lawn. Out-of-state recommendations may not be correct for Maryland. You still have to follow Maryland fertilizer lawn.See links above.)
Yes, you can use a roller, but it is not necessary.
We're not sure what you mean by a "drop cover." Covering the soil with a light layer of straw does help the soil retain moisture from sun and wind evaporation when you're trying to keep the soil wet at all times so that seed germinates.
The links above should be very helpful with other questions.
Ellen
We recommend that you follow our guides for renovation: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/lawn-renovation-and-overseeding
or starting a new lawn: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/starting-new-lawn
These are specifically targeted for Maryland growing conditions.
We would definitely recommend that you rototill as deep as you can. Incorporate the fertilizer, lime and any soil amendments. Lime can be added far in advance, but fertilizer should not because it can simply wash through the soil and be lost by the time the grass can use it. Plant debris can be tilled in except you may not want to do so if weeds had seeds or if the weeds were the type that regenerate from a tiny bit--such as creeping Charlie.
(Incidentally, we hope that the soil test results are specifically aimed at a zoysia lawn. Out-of-state recommendations may not be correct for Maryland. You still have to follow Maryland fertilizer lawn.See links above.)
Yes, you can use a roller, but it is not necessary.
We're not sure what you mean by a "drop cover." Covering the soil with a light layer of straw does help the soil retain moisture from sun and wind evaporation when you're trying to keep the soil wet at all times so that seed germinates.
The links above should be very helpful with other questions.
Ellen
Hello Ellen,
First, thank you for the response and sorry for the poor formatting of my original post; it seems to have been reformated after I submitted it. If it wasn't clear initially, I also posted my question to the lawn forum here: <https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20187>.
I've actually already read through all of the guides pertaining to lawns; I thought they were great!
A few questions that I did not see specifically addressed that I was hoping someone could help me with are:
1) The law says you can’t put down more than 0.9 lb/1000 sq. ft. of fertilizer per application and I need to put down ~ 3 times that. Can/should I put down 3 applications in one day?
2) Would it be a catastrophe if I don't till in the topsoil/soil amendments? I was thinking of just putting down new topsoil over my current soil.
Thanks!
Eddie
Hi Eddie,
In looking at your soil test results again, we noticed that the nitrogen recommendation is listed under 'suggested fertility guidelines'. This recommendation is based on the requirements of the particular grass you are growing and not on the actual soil you submitted for testing. Your sample was not tested for nitrogen (this is true for all soil testing labs) because the levels of available nitrogen are variable due to changes in temperature, soil moisture, and microbial activity. The available forms of nitrogen are also very water-soluble and move rapidly through the soil profile which causes their levels to fluctuate over time. So do not be concerned about adding all of the nitrogen at one time. Incorporate one application of 0.9 lbs into the soil and the additional two (or at least one application, it depends on how fast the seed germinates and grows) during the summer before mid-august.
To answer your 2nd question, yes you need to incorporate the soil amendments into the soil. Your soil test indicates you need to add phosphorus (phosphate) but we do not see a recommendation. You can apply either 3 lbs. of triple superphosphate (45-48% P2O5) or 7 lbs. of superphosphate (20% P2O5) per 1,000 square feet and again this should be tilled into the soil.
Even though your organic matter level looks good when you order topsoil ask if they have a topsoil/LeafGro (usually 70% topsoil, 30% LeafGro). The LeafGro will also help to supply some slow-release nitrogen to your soil.
Deb
In looking at your soil test results again, we noticed that the nitrogen recommendation is listed under 'suggested fertility guidelines'. This recommendation is based on the requirements of the particular grass you are growing and not on the actual soil you submitted for testing. Your sample was not tested for nitrogen (this is true for all soil testing labs) because the levels of available nitrogen are variable due to changes in temperature, soil moisture, and microbial activity. The available forms of nitrogen are also very water-soluble and move rapidly through the soil profile which causes their levels to fluctuate over time. So do not be concerned about adding all of the nitrogen at one time. Incorporate one application of 0.9 lbs into the soil and the additional two (or at least one application, it depends on how fast the seed germinates and grows) during the summer before mid-august.
To answer your 2nd question, yes you need to incorporate the soil amendments into the soil. Your soil test indicates you need to add phosphorus (phosphate) but we do not see a recommendation. You can apply either 3 lbs. of triple superphosphate (45-48% P2O5) or 7 lbs. of superphosphate (20% P2O5) per 1,000 square feet and again this should be tilled into the soil.
Even though your organic matter level looks good when you order topsoil ask if they have a topsoil/LeafGro (usually 70% topsoil, 30% LeafGro). The LeafGro will also help to supply some slow-release nitrogen to your soil.
Deb
Thank you for the information Deb! I am a little confused tho. Doesn't the Soil Analysis Report show results for a nitrogen test (Nitrogen Test Results.PNG). Also, doesn't my test show a phosphate recommendation next to the red arrow in Phosphate Recommendation.PNG?
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
None, of the soil testing labs we recommend test for nitrogen. You should contact the lab to see what that means. But keep in mind no matter what the test results show you still need to fertilize according to the Maryland Lawn Fertilizer Law. The law takes precedence over the test results. And yes, your soil test results indicate that you can add phosphate according to the soil test results.
Deb
Deb
