Problems With Zorro Zoysia

Zorro Zoysia is a warm-season grass that requires less mowing and fertilization than other grasses, but is slow-growing. It prefers full sun, but can withstand partial shade. It prefers soil with a pH of 5.8 to 6.5, but will grow in most soil, even if the soil is acidic, which is a benefit for Southern states with sandy soil.

Thatch Problems

Zorro Zoysia is difficult to mow because of the formation of thatch, the dead grass that lies on the ground under the blades. It prevents moisture from getting to the roots and promotes an unhealthy lawn that is prone to diseases and pests. Each spring, instead of every couple springs for most other grasses, the Zorro Zoysia lawn should be dethatched. In addition, use a reel mower to mow the lawn, or make sure your lawnmower’s blades are sharp when cutting.

Billbugs

Billbugs are most damaging to Zoysiagrass lawns when they are in the grub stage. The legless grubs have brown heads and white or cream-colored bodies. The billbug grub grows to about ½ inch in length. Billbug grubs damage Zoysiagrass lawns by eating the roots of the grass. They also attract animals like skunks and raccoons that root in the grass, looking for the billbugs, further destroying the lawn. Insecticides such as Chalofenozide and Imidacloprid are used to kill billbugs.

Large Patch

Large patch is caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2 (LP). The fungus causes large patches of discolored grass that expand. It prefers wet conditions during times of cool temperatures, and usually causes problems in the fall or spring. Large patch is commonly seen in areas of the lawn that have poorly drained soil. Sometimes the borders of the patches have an orange tint. According to the University of Arkansas, the orange tint at the edges shows that the disease is active. The borders are orange, because the disease is just starting to affect the blades at the edge of the spot as the disease grows. You can help prevent large spot by improving soil drainage, not overwatering in the spring and fall, and raking up, bagging and discarding infected clippings.

Zoysiagrass Mites

The Zoysiagrass mites, introduced to the United States in the 1980s, is a tiny pest. The mites infest leaf sheaths and unexpanded leaves of the Zoysiagrass. If new leaf tips emerge at all, they are often attached to older leaves. Zoysiagrass mites also cause the leaves to look off-colored and thin. The leaves might also have a white streak or a yellowish streak at the edge of each leaf. The mites can be controlled with chemicals, but there is no guarantee that the chemical will work, especially on the first treatment. Use insecticides with azadirachtin, bifenthrin or deltamethrin in them.