How to Grow Zoysia From Seed
Collect the seed pods from a Zoysia lawn.
You should collect the seed pods from a Zoysia lawn in late summer or early fall before they have opened. The pods should be brown or tan, and have started to split open or curl. Also, the pods should feel full and dry.
We recommend you don’t cut the grass for several days prior to collecting seeds for this reason, as well as to give the grass time to recover from being handled.
Dry the seed pods in a paper bag for 4 to 5 days.
Put the seed pods into a paper bag. If you have multiple seed heads, you don’t need to put them in separate bags as long as they’re from the same plant. Place the paper bag containing the seeds in a dry place with good air circulation for about 4 to 5 days.
The seeds are ready when they easily fall off of the pod when lightly shaken. If possible, make sure that no one disturbs the paper bags during this stage since this could break up the pods and cause premature release of the seeds.
Crush the seed pods to release the seeds, then winnow out all but the finest seeds.
- Don’t use a hammer to crush the seed pods. Crush the ripe seed pods between your fingers or your hands by squeezing them in your fist.
- To winnow the seeds, use a fan or a hair dryer on low setting to blow away the light bits of chaff, leaving only the heavier seeds behind. If you are working with small amounts of grass seed, you can use a mesh screen to sort out the fine seeds from the chaff by shaking it over a bowl or bucket and letting gravity do all of the work for you.
- Don’t winnow grass seed outdoors on a windy day as this will cause you to lose more seeds than is necessary.
Spread a thin layer of sand on a flat surface and sprinkle the Zoysia seeds on top.
Zoysia seeds require sand as a medium for successful germination. Spread a thin layer of sand on a flat surface and sprinkle the Zoysia seeds on top. The sand helps to keep the soil moist and provides nutrients required for germination. It also protects the seeds by keeping them from being washed away or eaten by birds.
Water the seeds lightly every day until they begin to sprout, then water them less frequently until they are well established.
As with any garden, it’s important to monitor your zoysia seeds closely. When they’ve sprouted, the grass will need very little water until it is well established. Early on, though, you should water the seed lightly every day until it begins to sprout. During this time, check for early signs of mold or fungus growth and remove any infected leaves as soon as possible. If you are growing your seeds in a container, make sure that it has good drainage so that excess moisture does not damage the seeds themselves.
Growing Zoysia from seed is not too hard, but it does require care and patience.
Zoysia grass is a slow growing but dense, tough lawn grass that forms a thick, tough turf. It originated in the tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia. Zoysia can be propagated by seed from the common manila grass genus cross-bred with other Zoysias. Zoysia can also be propagated by sprigs, stem cuttings or sod.
Prepare the soil for planting before sowing seeds outdoors in any season when temperatures are above 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 70 F during the day. Pour 2 inches of compost into a 1-inch depth trench dug over your planting site and mix it into the top 6 inches of soil using a garden hoe or spade fork to create an improved seedbed.