"cardarch" wrote in message
oups.com...
Its the same in Philadelphia, PA. My neighbor across the street has
had it for years and it looks very unpleasant and dead during the
winter. Other lawns remain slightly green but their lawn is light
brown all winter. Of course, in the summer (and right now) it is
lovely and thick.


I grew up near Pittsburgh in a home with a zoysia lawn. I wouldn't
recommend it. I think it was a fad in the 60s, one of the "miracle" fads
that appealed to people who are obsessive. Yes, it can be thick and lovely
about three months each year. In the fall it starts going yellow,
eventually looking like a patch of excelsior that remains through the winter
and early spring. It isn't without pests and disease. I'm only familiar
with establishing a zoysia lawn though the placement of "plugs." Using that
method, there is a transition that can last a few years when you have a
checkerboard effect where the plugs are straw-colored and surrounded by
green. It might be a good choice in consistently warm climates.