[graybuckle]

I just noticed a patch of st Augustine grass creaping in my zoysia lawn. I called Massey services (who I have had treat and fertilize my lawn for the last two years). They said the st Augustine was untreatable and they couldn't do anything about it. Has anyone else had a lawn service tell them this and did they treat the st Augustine? I don't want to kill the lawn. Massey never told me about the grass -I had to call them so I am not too pleased with them at the moment.

[Jima64]

Is it coming in from a neighbors yard? Difficult to use a spray to kill it without harming the zoysia. Most sprays are focused on weeds.

[asianthree]

Could be coming from mowers. I know deans will not cross mow

[redwitch]

I'd guess your best bet would be to pull the St. Augustine out by hand and resod that area. And, yes, it usually comes from cross-mowing.

[Shimpy]

I would like my whole yard to be St. Augustine. I had it all my life until moving here 5 years ago and can tell you it takes less water and is easier to care for. Look at the homes north of 466 which are St. Augustine in the winter and see how much better their lawns look.

[JoMar]

We had St. Augustine start to creep in. We had it removed and sodded. As I understood it, eventually the St. Augustine would be crowded out but would take a very long time. I believe any of the Landscapers would be able to help with that.

[TNLAKEPANDA]

I hate this Zoysia grass. It looks like crap all the time.

[autumnspring]

Ask at cooperative extension. Perhaps, bring them a sample of turf from the transition. If, you take it out neatly, you can simply put it back.

I believe EMPIRE ZOYZIA which is what is planted in the Villages is more tolerant of certain weed killers than is St Augustine. The cooperative extension must tell you to follow directions on the package but, with liquid weed killers you can often mix it twice the normal strength. It may damage the zoyzia but,
you other option is to resod-so you have nothing to loose.

[GaryW]

You can get rid of the St. Aug grass in your zoysia.
you can cut out and resod,, just about it.

If you are having your lawn maintained by a company most likely the contaminated it from the mowers. Most of them cut many yards of all different types of grass.

I have maintained my Zoysia grass from the beginning, using a push mower, and my neighbor had Mikes Maint doing his,, now my yard is under attack from his yard. His yard at least 50% St. Aug grass now.

[Chi-Town]

We had St Augustine like grass up north. We called it quack grass or something like that. You had to get to it in the spring with a pre-emergent.

[kittygilchrist]

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep141

Way at the end of this article by uf ifas, is a chart of herbicides that can be used with different grasses. One common product ok for using zoysia but not st augustine, is called 2, 4-D.

[autumnspring]

Not based on my trying it.
I stumbled across this information. There are several different products sold under the name ORTHO WEED B GON. One of them is specifically listed for Chickweed, clover and Oxalis all hard to kill weeds. The active ingredient is 8% TRICLOPYR. Instructions list several plants that it should not be used around-fruit trees and it specifically mentions St Augustine grass. It does not state not to use on Zoysia. It is listed at Lowes in ORLANDO. So it can be sold in Florida. It is also available on Amazon.
Instructions say plants need to actively growing-for us I read that as April May. It says you can apply it every 2-3 weeks and 16oz covers like 2,000 sq foot. Sounds like it will take several applications. I would try a small area at suggested rate. Toss a coin. For the second application you might decide if you got some result without killing the Zoysia to apply at the same rate. If, neither the St Augustine or the zoysia seem to be dying up the mix rate.

[Jima64]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep141

Way at the end of this article by uf ifas, is a chart of herbicides that can be used with different grasses. One common product ok for using zoysia but not st augustine, is called 2, 4-D.

A common name of 24d is weedar.It can be lightly misted and I mean lightly misted on grass to kill things like dollar weed. You would use a hand pumpup sprayer or backpack sprayer for spot treatment. It only kills the top and not the root of the weed. It may use as ittle as .25 ounces per gallon of water as it is very strong.

[autumnspring]

Originally Posted by Jima64

A common name of 24d is weedar.It can be lightly misted and I mean lightly misted on grass to kill things like dollar weed. You would use a hand pumpup sprayer or backpack sprayer for spot treatment. It only kills the top and not the root of the weed. It may use as ittle as .25 ounces per gallon of water as it is very strong.

If, we are not confused enough. 24D is an old broad leaf weed killer invented-discovered during WWII. Since the patent is long since expired the companies try to claim or imply that it is not the generic product-no brand name and far less costly. The same exact item is sold as AMINE SALTS. Teasing a bit but the real name is DICHLOROPHENOXYCETIC ACID call it 24D and most people in a garden center know what you are asking for.

Essentially it works by mimicking growth hormone in non-grass plants-it causes the plant to grow to death. To work well it needs to be applied when the plant is actively growing-NOT DEC,JAN.FEB.

Back to the original post re: getting rid of St Augustine in a zoysia lawn. Empire Zoysia is more tolerant of the broad leaf type week killers than St Augustine. So what you do is apply weedkiller at a strong rate more often then you would need to for normal broadleaf weeds and the St Augustine WILL DIE FIRST. You will probably damage but not kill the zoysia.

The Empire Zoysia is a patented product you need to be licensed to grow and sell the product. A licensed seller should not be selling a mixture of grasses. The zoysia seed you will find sold-is not empire zoysia which does not produce a viable seed.