How to Get Rid of Zoysia Grass Naturally

Zoysia Grass Control: How To Get Rid of Zoysia Grass

This page is an expert guide on getting rid of Zoysia Grass from your yard using the products and methods suggested by our experienced lawn care specialists. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee you will have a lawn free of Zoysia Grass.

Zoysia Grass, while sometimes purposely planted for its unique aesthetic, is a creeping grass that will refuse to go down without a fight.

Zoysia Grass is a warm-season grass that has a habit of quickly spreading and choking out desired grass. It is very course and can turn a straw-brown color during periods of dry weather. Where it is established it can be difficult to totally eliminate.

If your lawn is encountering an invasion of Zoysia Grass, our step-by-step DIY treatment guide will show you exactly how to get rid of this invasive species quickly and save money doing it with the help of our professional quality herbicides.

Identification

Zoysia Grass

Before carrying out a treatment program, you will need to first be certain that you are dealing with Zoysia Grass and not some other weed. Careless identification can lead to using the wrong treatment methods which can be a waste of time and money.

Zoysia Grass is a warm-season grass that grows in horizontal patches. It will grow along the top of the soil surface where it chokes out any grass that gets in its way.
In most southern or warm-season landscapes, Zoysia Grass is actually a preferred grass because it is drought tolerant and can withstand a lot of foot traffic.
When it grows in cool-season areas where the temperature falls below 50 degrees it's thick, rich green grass blades can turn a straw-colored beige, which can ruin the aesthetics of a lawn.
Zoysia grass can survive in any climate that has stable climate variations; this means Zoysia Grass cannot survive in areas where the temperature fluctuates. This grass cannot tolerate even nominal variations in temperature, which is exactly why most homeowners prefer not having zoysia grass in their gardens.

Use the above description and image to help you in properly identify Zoysia Grass. If you are unsure whether or not the weed you are seeing is Zoysia Grassor something else, you can always contact us and our lawn care experts will help to correctly identify the invading weed and suggest treatment options.

Inspection

Zoysia grass in a yard

After you have confirmed that you are dealing with Zoysia Grass you can then move on to inspection. During this phase, you will locate areas where Zoysia Grass is thriving and observe the conditions that are allowing it to thrive. This information will help you in knowing where to focus your herbicide application.

Where to Inspect

Conduct a thorough inspection of your lawn to see where the Zoysia Grass is growing. Zoysia grass has a creeping habit and grows horizontally, creating thick mats which choke out other plants adjacent to it.

What to Look For

In cool weather, Zoysia Grass very quickly makes itself stand out by turning a straw color beige. When it is healthy, zoysia grass is fine-textured and a grayish-green color. They can have thick or thin blades. The thin variety looks like little spikes.

Treatment

Please be sure that when handling any type of herbicide, you are properly protecting your skin and eyes with safety equipment. Goggles, gloves and love sleeved clothing should suffice.

Zoysia Grass grows in the summer, so you are going to want to spray a herbicide in the late summer when it is actively growing. We recommend using a non-selective herbicide like Eraser 41%. This is a Glyphosate based herbicide that kills all plants that come in contact with it, so be careful when applying it so you don't get it on desired plants.

Step 1 - Measure Treatment Area and Mix Eraser 41%

Mixing Glyphosate in Sprayer

Eraser 41% Herbicide is a post-emergent herbicide designed to control a wide variety of grassy and broadleaf weeds, including Zoysia Grass. This is a non-selective, glyphosate product with no soil activity. This means that it will control and kill vegetation that it comes into contact with, so it is recommended to use this for spot treatments.

Mix Eraser at a rate of 2.5 fl. oz. in one gallon of water in a pump sprayer for spot treatments of 300 sq. ft. Because this is a non-selective herbicide, it is recommended to use some sort of shield to block the spray from contacting your wanted vegetation or use a blue marking dye to keep track of where you sprayed. You can use something like a flattened cardboard box or a plastic board.

You will also want to make sure that you make your application on a calm day when wind speeds are low to avoid any drift. In cases where Zoysia Grass outbreaks are heavy, you may need to treat the entire lawn with Eraser and reseed and renovate the lawn.

Step 2 - Apply Eraser 41% to the Zoysia Grass

Once mixed, spot treat your lawn where the Zoysia Grass is concentrated. Spraying on a fan spray nozzle setting to get a nice fine even coating on the Zoysia Grass. Herbicides will work best when the Zoysia Grass is young and actively growing. As the weed matures, they will be more resistant to chemicals that may require repeated applications.

In about 2 days, you should start the see the Zoysia Grass that has been treated turning a yellow or brown color. After about 2 weeks, the grass should be dead.

Prevention

Mowing grass

Prevention is the best cure when it comes Zoysia Grass as it can be very stubborn. Not every homeowner has the time or patience to deal with Zoysia Grass, which is exactly why it is imperative that every homeowner takes certain steps to prevent it from returning after getting rid of it:

Keep your grass trimmed and well-maintained with regular mowing at heights of 3 inches or more to encourage better root growth so your desired grass prevents Zoysia Grass from thriving.
Apply fertilizer at the best times (ideally in the fall) for your lawn to keep your desired turf thick and lush so Zoysia Grass doesn't have an opportunity to take over.
Water the grass deeply yet infrequently. We recommend once a week at a rate of 1 to 1.5 inches of water.
Rake and dethatch your lawn to allow for better aeration of your lawn as well as address issues like soil compaction and poor drainage.

Key Takeaways

What is Zoysia Grass?

Zoysia Grass is a desired grass in some areas of the country but where it is not wanted it can be an ugly sight and difficult to eliminate.