Tight blade growth also contributes to the depth of color found in Empire Zoysia. With its wide blades and luscious dark green hue that lasts through much of the winter, it’s truly a turf grass that will greatly enhanced curb appeal for your home.

It is one of the few grasses rated to perform well in all zones. As hardy as it is attractive, Empire has a deep, thick root structure, and is more drought tolerant than most varieties of Zoysia once established. In addition, slow growth plus natural chinch bug and chemical resistance means your lawn will require less maintenance, mowing, and watering than with other types of warm season grass.

How to get your Empire Zoysia lawn ready for spring? Follow these five steps:

Step 1 – MOW LOW!  For the first mowing of the year, scalp the lawn with the mower and bag the clippings.

Step 2 – Apply fertilizer at a recommended 1-0-1 ratio.  For example 15-0-15.

Step 3 – Apply pre-emergent herbicide to prevent summer weeds.  You can buy it already mixed in with fertilizer.

Step 4 – To prevent Billbugs and other insect pests, put down a broad spectrum insecticide containing bifenthrin.  Make sure to water any granular insecticides into the lawn.

Step 5 – Empire turf needs about 3/4 of an inch of water per week from either natural rainfall or in-ground irrigation.  Overwatering can lead to fungus outbreaks.  If needed, put down a systemic fungicide with an active ingredient.

The front lawns of 8 average size houses have the cooking effect as about 70 tons of air conditioning, while the average home-size central air unit has only a 3- to 4-ton capacity.

Turfgrasses trap much of an estimated 12 million tons of dust and dirt released annually into the U.S. atmosphere.

Turfgrasses help purify water entering underground aquifers by its root mass and soil microbes acting as a filter to capture and break down many types of pollutants.

A turf area of just 50 feet square absorbs carbon dioxide, ozone, hydrogen fluoride and perosyacetyle nitrate and will release enough oxygen to meet the needs of a family of four.

So your little patch of paradise is cooling, cleaning and purifying your environment. And really, what beats the smell of a new-mown lawn on a sultry summer day?

Photo by Kelly Burke

What to mow with? Riding mower vs. walk-behind vs. rotary…This question and other tool tips are addressed in a great blog post by Kelly Burke. We’re sharing it here because our goal at Bethel Farms is to provide you with an exceptional product and great service and arm you with the knowledge you need to create the outdoor space of your dreams. We’re all about Improving America’s Outdoor Experience.