I once ordered zoysia plugs, from a magazine ad. The cost sounded very reasonable: only $25 (or something like that), for 500 plugs.

Instead of sending plugs (which are separate, little plants), they sent a piece of zoysia sod, about 1/2" thick. It looked like a doormat. It was scribed, on the back, with 1/2" x 1/2" lines, marked slightly, into the clay. The instructions said to cut along the lines, and that would be the plugs. So, I was supposed to cut 20 lines across, and 25 lines down, to get 500 plugs.

The problem was that the mat was impossible to cut. I tried the best knife that I had (a large, serrated bread knife). It was like trying to cut iron wires. I finally gave up.

It definitely wasn't as easy as they made it sound. It was impossible!

I stuck the sod mat somewhere on my lawn, trying to get at least one patch of zoysia, but it died.

My neighbor, in DE, had a zoysia lawn. He actually did get it to thrive, during the summer. However, during the winter, it turned straw yellow. Unlike bluegrass lawns, which stay green in winter (although they don't grow actively), it stuck out like an ugly eyesore, in the neighborhood :-(. Since DE has a similar climate to VA, it would probably do the same, in your lawn.

I am not an expert on grasses, but my advice is: try to find a zoysia lawn in your area. See if you want to live with it, for 4 months of winter. If the dead look doesn't bother you, be sure you buy real plugs (not cut your own), from a local supplier.

Wendy
"cb" wrote in message ...
Anyone had any experience redoing their lawn with zoysia plugs? I've never done this and saw an add in the newspaper for this type of grass. I live in zone 7. Haven't had much luck with grass, as I have had a nasty grub problem and also I think some fungus. My lawn is filled with old crabgrass, too, and it has some places where the drainage isn't all that great. The add made it sound like zoysia was hardy enough for anything, but I'm not sure if it'd work where I am b/c of these problems that I don't have too much money to correct. (I do attempt to correct the grub and crabgrass each year.) I thought I'd ask opinions about planting with plugs, and whether or not it's as easy as it sounds.