how to replace fescue grass with zoysia? (rental, cost)

[wangmingye]

The builder has put fescue sod on the front and side of my property. I want to replace it with zoysia. One landscape company told me that I will have to remove the existing fescue before putting the zoysia sod and the removal of the fescue alone will cost me $1500.

Is it really that hard to replace fescue with zoysia?
Can I just kill it using some herbicide to get rid of the fescue?
Has anyone done this?

[mommiewrites]

you could spray it with an herbicide, but would have to wait several months to replant- the chemicals get into the soil, and of course is still in the dead grass that is decomposing.

Good 'ol manual labor is the only thing i can think of - take a flat ended shovel and start scraping it up. It actually might not be that bad if it was just installed, the roots won't be too deep hopefully, and you may even be able to shovel a few feet, and then start rolling it up...

ONce you remove the grass, aerate the soil- either manually, with an aerator or even a tiller...smooth it out, and reseed!

not a fun job, but quite do-able

[sls76]

Originally Posted by mommiewrites

ONce you remove the grass, aerate the soil- either manually, with an aerator or even a tiller...smooth it out, and reseed!

Generally, zoysia is put in with plugs or sod, not seed (at least that's my understanding).

[mommiewrites]

Originally Posted by sls76

Generally, zoysia is put in with plugs or sod, not seed (at least that's my understanding).

could be...I don't know. Either way, the most painstaking part would be removing the old grass! blech!

[mdp_az]

I believe you can plant zoysia plugs while you still have actively growing fescue. Over time, the zoysia will spread and choke off the fescue, leaving you with a zoysia lawn. Seems this would be the easiest method...if it really works.

[slynn41072]

The above method will work but it will take YEARS to be completely Zoysia grass.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by slynn41072

The above method will work but it will take YEARS to be completely Zoysia grass.

That's my understanding too. Zoysia's creep is very slow and nothing like Bermuda's.

[KCfromNC]

Originally Posted by mommiewrites

you could spray it with an herbicide, but would have to wait several months to replant- the chemicals get into the soil, and of course is still in the dead grass that is decomposing.

Round-up or the generic equivalents get pulled down into the roots and go inert after a few days. It'll take longer for the fescue to die than for the herbicide to become harmless to the new grass. The biggest problem right now is that it works best when the lawn is actively growing, so I'd wait until late spring to do this. That's also the start of the growing season for Zoysia so it's probably best all around.

[mdp_az]

You can probably rent a sod cutter and use it to remove the fescue. It'd still be a lot of work, but far less back-breaking than using a flat-tip shovel! I'd guess a day's rental would be under $100, far less than the $1500 you were quoted.

[j7r6s]

If you have neighbors, keep in mind that your zoysia grass will likely overtake their fescue lawns at some point. They may not appreciate you for it.