Lawn & Yard
Zoysia lawn care for Decatur, GA (USDA Zone 8a). Starter set — the full lawn program (pre-emergent, weed control, fertilizer schedule, mowing heights, mulching) lands in the next phase.
Upkeep
Reference
Pre-emergent timing (Zone 8a)
Spring: apply before soil hits ~55°F for several days (forsythia bloom is the signal) — typically mid-Feb to mid-March in Atlanta. Fall: late Aug to late Sept for winter weeds. Split or water in before rain.
Mowing Zoysia
Keep ~1–2" (reel or sharp rotary). Mow when actively growing — roughly weekly in summer. Never remove more than ⅓ of the blade in one pass; keep blades sharp to avoid tip browning.
Fertilizer
Feed only during active growth (late spring through summer); ~½–1 lb N/1000 sq ft per feeding. Do NOT fertilize dormant or green-up/dormancy-transition Zoysia — it invites weeds and disease.
Watering
~1" per week including rain, in deep infrequent soaks (early morning). Zoysia is drought-tolerant and prefers drying between waterings — frequent shallow watering invites fungus.
Weed control
Pre-emergent is the backbone; spot-spray escapes with a Zoysia-safe post-emergent (Celsius WG / Tenacity). Avoid broadcast post-emergents in summer heat.
Dethatch / aerate
Core-aerate in late spring/early summer when actively growing (not dormant). Dethatch only if thatch exceeds ~½".
Dormancy
Zoysia goes tan/dormant after frost through winter — that's normal, not dead. Stop feeding and mowing; resume at green-up in spring.