Zoysia Vs. Fescue Grass

Site Requirements

• Zoysia is a warm-season grass that is typically grown in regions with mild winters that experience few freezes and frosts, while fescue is classified as a cool-season grass grown in colder climates. Fescue can also grow in some warmer regions, however. Fescue has a slightly higher tolerance for shade than most types of zoysia grass, but zoysia is still more shade-tolerant than most other types of warm-season turfgrasses.

Establishment

• Fescue is most commonly established by seeding, while you can establish zoysia grass by planting seeds, sprigs or plugs, or by laying sod. Seed is usually the most economical way to establish a lawn. Both types of turfgrass will produce a medium- to dark-green lawn. In general, both fescue and zoysia grasses can grow in a wide range of soil types. But if you have alkaline soil or salinity and salt concerns in your landscape, fescue typically won't grow as well as zoysia grass. Although zoysia produces one of the finest-textured leaves among warm-season turfgrasses, tall fescue is coarser and less dense. Because fescue doesn't reproduce in a vegetative manner using "runners," you'll likely need to reseed in the fall to keep your lawn thick.

Maintenance

• Zoysia grass has a higher maintenance level than fescue, usually demanding more upkeep and care throughout the seasons. Although fescue requires more frequent mowing than zoysia grass, zoysia tends to create much more thatch than fescue. You'll need to mow tall fescue every five to seven days, while the most common type of zoysia grass usually requires mowing only every seven to 10 days. The mowing height for tall fescue is 2 ½ to 3 ½ inches, while zoysia grass is kept much shorter -- only ¾- to 1 ½ or 2 inches in height. Both fescue and zoysia have moderate water and fertilization requirements. Your maintenance demands are further reduced with fescue, because this type of grass is slightly more resistant to diseases than zoysia grass.

Tolerances

• Both fescue and zoysia grasses have somewhat high tolerance for cold and moderate tolerance for foot traffic, although Zoysia japonica has a high traffic tolerance. Fescue has only a fair tolerance for drought, but zoysia grass has an excellent tolerance. With respect to soil nematodes, fescue has a good tolerance, while zoysia grass has a poor tolerance. Although both fescue and zoysia have high tolerances for cold, fescue doesn't grow as well as zoysia in regions with hot summers.