Ernie's Pro Lawn Co

Lawn Care for Frisco, Little Elm, Prosper, McKinney, Plano, Carrollton, Flower Mound, Lewisville,

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Zoysia Grass

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Zoysia Grass

Zoysia grass is a Warm Season grass.  Zoysia grass used for turf is available in three species, Japonica, Matrella, and Tenuifolia.  Zoysia Tenuifolia is a very fine bladed grass, has a low cold tolerance, and is usually used only as a ground cover in Southern California.  Therefore, it is not recommended as a turf grass.

Zoysia Japonica has a medium to high shade tolerance.  Its water requirement is medium compared to other Warm Season grasses.

Zoysia Japonica grass has a medium to high tolerance to salinity, and a high tolerance to cold. Additionally it has a high tolerance to traffic, and has a medium to low disease potential.  .  Zoysia Japonica grass should be mowed every seven to ten (7-10) days, and should be maintained at a height of one inch to one and one-half inches (1.0” – 1.5”).

Zoysia Japonica is the only Zoysia variety that can be grown from seed.  It can also be grown from sprigs or from sod.

Zoysia Matrella also has a medium to high tolerance to shade.  Its water requirement is medium compared to other Warm Season grasses.

Zoysia Matrella grass has a medium tolerance to salinity, and a medium tolerance to cold.  Its tolerance to traffic is medium, and its disease potential is medium to low.  Zoysia Matrella grass should be mowed at a height of one-half inch to one inch (0.5” – 1.0”), and should be mowed every five to seven (5-7) days.

Zoysia Matrella grass can be grown from sprigs or from sod, it is not available in seed form.

Zoysia grasses is a very versatile species, and are used for lawns, golf courses, parks and athletic fields.  They are tolerant to all types of soil including sand, loam, and clay.  Additionally, they do well in both acidic and alkaline soils.  Zoysia grasses are found along the Atlantic coast from Florida to Connectict, and along the Gulf Coast, and California.

St. Augustine Grass

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St. Augustine Grass

St. Augustine grass is a Warm Season grass.  St. Augustine is a strong grass in warm climates.  It has a high shade tolerance, usually requiring a minimum of four (4) hours of sunlight.  Its water requirement is medium compared to other Warm Season grasses.

St. Augustine grass has a medium tolerance to salinity, and a low tolerance to cold, usually not surviving temperatures less than 15 degrees Fahrenheit.  Additionally it has a low tolerance to traffic, and has a high disease potential.  St. Augustine grass should be mowed every five to seven (5-7) days, and should be maintained at a height of two and one-half inches to three and one-half inches (2.5” – 3.5”).

St. Augustine grass can be grown from springs or from sod.  It cannot be grown from seed.

In the correct areas of the country, St. Augustine grass is one of the strongest grasses available.  Some of the varieties available include Floratam, Seville, and Raleigh.

 

How Often Should I Mow My Lawn?

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How Often Should I Mow My Lawn?

The most important rule here is never cut off more than 1/3 of the grass leaf length.  During the growing season, it is recommended that Bermuda grass and St. Augustine grass be cut every 4-5 days.  However, no one other than golf courses follow this practice.  Most commercial and residential lawns are cut on a weekly basis.  Therefore, simple math shows that if you mow your lawn on a weekly basis, then you are 40% over the recommended time.  Some people want to have the lawn cut on a bi-weekly basis.  Mowing on a bi-weekly basis would be letting the lawn grow almost 200% more without cutting than recommended.

To have a healthy lawn, you need to mow regularly (at least weekly during the growing season), adequate watering, and proper fertilization.  Mowing your lawn, during the growing season, any less than weekly, results in weak grass, allowing weed invasion and/or loss of turf.