Last year, many Zoysia lawns were super saturated by the amount of rainfall that occurred throughout the country. Many of you may be wondering how to fix some of the issues that have arisen from these frequent rain showers. In this blog, we have come up with some solutions to the most common issues that occur after a Zoysia lawn has been flooded.
First, you should try to look for signs of a fungus in your lawn. Usually Zoysia is resistant to most types of diseases; however a fungus may occur if your lawn has been flooded. A fungus may turn your lawn brown in those areas, or it may appear as a thread, ring or slime. Remember not to confuse dormant Zoysia with a fungus however. If you are unsure, you can always take a sample of your grass to a local nursery, and they can test your grass for a fungus. We do sell a Zoysia-safe fungicide here to treat your lawn if you find this is the issue. Here is a link to that product: https://www1.zoysiafarms.com/prodspec.jsp?id=16F7&cat=30.
Another common issue that flooding can cause is weeds. Weed seeds may be brought in by wind and water, causing your lawn to be infested. We actually sell some Zoysia-safe pre-emergents here that you can use to prevent the seeds from germinating. We have Season-Long Weed Control (https://www1.zoysiafarms.com/prodspec.jsp?id=5698&cat=31), which can kill visible weeds within 48 hours as well as protect your lawn for up to 6 months. Our Gluten-8 Organic Herbicide (https://www1.zoysiafarms.com/prodspec.jsp?id=D141&cat=30) is also a pre-emergent, which prevents weed seeds from germinating and helps lawns compete with annual grasses and broadleaf weeds as well.
In addition to the other issues, your soil may unfortunately become compacted after a flood. Aerating your lawn will help eliminate this compaction caused by rain, soil saturation, and flooding. Also remember to wait until your lawn has greened up for the year before fertilizing. If you fertilize while the Zoysia is dormant, it will not be able to accept the nutrients.
Overall, your lawn may not be in the best shape now; however Zoysia is a very hardy grass and can mend itself overtime. Because it has the winter months to recover, most if not all Zoysia lawns should repair themselves with a little help.