Zoysia Plugs vs. Seeds

Cultivar Selections

• When picking the kind of zoysia grass you want to have as a lawn, you're faced with more than a dozen options, each with its own color and growth characteristics -- that is, unless you choose to start the lawn from seed. Zoysia grass seeds have a notoriously low germination rate and only the seeds of Japanese zoysia can be used successfully for establishing a lawn. If you want to grow any other kind of zoysia grass, plugging isn't just your best bet -- it's your only bet.

Coverage Time

• Zoysia grass grows very, very slowly. Once established, it doesn't need as much mowing as other kinds of grass, but it can take months for your planted grass to get fully established. When grown from seed, it can take approximately three months for the grass to fully cover the soil. When grown from plugs -- spaced 6 inches apart -- it can take approximately 18 months for full soil coverage.

Cost

• Starting a lawn can be a pricey endeavor. While prices generally fluctuate depending on regional differences and supply and demand, zoysia plugs generally cost more than sprigs and less than sod. Lawn establishment from seed, on the other hand, is almost always the most budget-friendly option, regardless of the actual grass species being sown.

Planting Times

• Zoysia grass loves warm weather. For vegetative establishment, whether from plugs, sod or sprigs, the ideal time for planting is around late spring to early summer. When it comes to seeding your zoysia, late spring to early summer also ranks as the best time for sowing.