1. Zoysia should only be fertilized 2 or 3 times of year depending on your location and length of growing season. First application is made with a balanced fertilizer like 20-5-10 after the grass is fully greened up in the spring. Second application is 8 to 10 weeks after first application with a nitrogen only fertilizer like 39-0-0 or 34-0-0. If you live on the gulf region you can apply a third application of nitrogen 8 weeks after 2nd application. Zoysia is a heavy thatcher and over fertilizing Zoysia amplifies the problem.

2. Cannot answer without more info, anything would be a guess on my part.

3. Use slow release urea type fertilizers like those from a Lesco dealer.

4. Zoysia is a heavy thatcher and should be de-thatched at least every other year if not every year especially if over fertilized. Core aeration is not real effective with thatch, best to use a rake or power rake (aka vertical mower).

5. Optimum soil PH for Zoysia is a acidic soil of 5.9 to 6.8 favoring the 6.8 neutral side. Only your soil lab tech can tell you what you need.

Regarding question 2: Here are some pictures I took today:

Healthy part of Lawn
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By tallyho500, shot with Canon PowerShot S30 at 2009-05-29

Thin spots
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By tallyho500, shot with Canon PowerShot S30 at 2009-05-29
{{gwi:90336}}
By tallyho500, shot with Canon PowerShot S30 at 2009-05-29

Large bare area
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By tallyho500, shot with Canon PowerShot S30 at 2009-05-29

Upclose large bare area
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By tallyho500, shot with Canon PowerShot S30 at 2009-05-29

Healthy area pulled back (thatch?)
{{gwi:90339}}
By tallyho500, shot with Canon PowerShot S30 at 2009-05-29

Well after seeing the first picture I was about to say: What Problem?

Then I scrolled down.

It is a fungal problem. This may sound strange to you, but go to a farm store aka grain coop and buy you enough cornmeal in 50-pound bags to cover the entire area at a rate of 20 pounds per 1000/ft2.

Yes it is the same corn meal you eat, just a whole lot less expensive. For example a 1-pound can from the grocery store will cost about $2. A 50 pound sack from the coop will cost around $9. Strange huh?

Thanks!!

I will get on that immediately!

I assume the cornmeal will neutralize the fungus, but how long will it usually take? Is it worthwhile to use a spreader or should i just distribute by hand...also, do I need to do spread the cornmeal over the entire lawn or just on the affected areas? Water in afterward and/or mow? How soon after to fertilize. :-) (I know, alot of questions).

Thanks again!

P.S. Looking at the last picture, do you see thatch as being a problem yet?

If I were in your shoes, Id spread the corn meal over the entire lawn. In addition to combating the bad fungus, it's also a mild fertilizer.

You should see results in 2 to 3 weeks. As BP says use it over the whole lawn and count it as one fertlizer application.

Just a quick follow-up: From the pictures, any idea of what kind of fungus it is?

Brown patch

Hi - I just posted about a similar problem in the Alabama forum. I have this same look to a patch of my Zoysia lawn, about 8 ft. across, roughly circular. I also have holes in the lawn though. They look a lot like squirrels digging up acorns, but I have been researching and see that it may be either from grubs or from animals going after the grubs.

I sprayed the area with Daconil today, as recommended by my local nursery. I had earlier treated it with milky spore (last year) and Grub control chemical (new to Scott's line). So I have gone at this from several directions. I guess my question is - should I assume there are grubs there and treat for them too, or wait to see if the Daconil works its magic?