It handles shade, up to a point
Zoysia takes partial shade far better than Bermuda, which is why it is the usual pick on tree-covered lots around Lake Murray and Forest Acres. Dense shade still thins it.
Grass guide · Zoysia
Zoysia grass care and feeding schedule.
Zoysia grass gets three feedings a year of ½ to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet: early May after it fully greens up, once in June or July, and once more in late summer. Mow it at about 1½ inches in sun and 2 to 2½ inches in partial shade.
Clemson's calendar
The Zoysia fertilizer schedule.
Hold the fertilizer until Zoysia is fully green and staying that way. A late frost can burn it back more than once.
- Nitrogen a year, per 1,000 sq ft
- 2–4 lb
- Feedings a year
- 3
- Mowing height
- 1½–2½ in
| When | Nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| January to AprilWhile the lawn is brown | Nitrogen per 1,000 sq ftNone | What to doNo nitrogen yet. A late frost burns back early growth. Good time for a soil test. |
| Early MayOnce it is fully green | Nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft½–1 lb | What to doFirst feeding. Higher rate on sandy soil, lower on clay. |
| June or JulyMidsummer | Nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft½–1 lb | What to doSecond feeding, with a high-potassium fertilizer like 15-0-15. |
| Late summerBy mid-August | Nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft½–1 lb | What to doThird feeding, high in potassium again. It helps the grass through winter. |
| September to DecemberGoing dormant | Nitrogen per 1,000 sq ftNone | What to doNo nitrogen. Potash only if a soil test says it is low. |
Over a year that is 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, less on clay and more on sand. Keep any one feeding of ordinary fertilizer to 1 pound or less.
The Midlands difference
Why Zoysia works on so many Midlands lawns.
Sandy soil loses potassium fast
Potassium washes out of sand quickly, especially in rainy years, which is why the summer feedings are high in it.
Keep the mower sharp
Stiff Zoysia blades dull a mower fast. Mow about 2 inches with a regular rotary mower and sharpen the blade about once a month.
Zoysia vs Bermuda
Zoysia vs Bermuda: which fits your yard.
They get fed the same way, so fertilizer does not decide this. Sun, traffic and mowing do.
| Compared on | Zoysia | Bermuda |
|---|---|---|
| Shade | ZoysiaExcellent in partial shade. Thins out under dense shade. | BermudaVery poor. Needs full sun all day. |
| Foot traffic | ZoysiaVery good. | BermudaExcellent. Recovers fast. |
| How often you mow | ZoysiaAbout once a week. | BermudaOften. Twice a week when it is growing hard. |
| How it spreads | ZoysiaSlowly. Bare spots take a while to fill. | BermudaFast, and into flower beds. |
| Cold | ZoysiaVery good. | BermudaGood. |
Trees shading part of the yard, or you would rather mow once a week? Zoysia. Full sun and hard use? Bermuda recovers faster.
Questions
Common questions about Zoysia grass.
What is the fertilizer schedule for Zoysia grass?
Three feedings, each ½ to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet: early May after the lawn fully greens up, June or July, and late summer, by mid-August. The summer feedings should be high in potassium, such as 15-0-15. No nitrogen from September through April. That is Clemson Extension's calendar for South Carolina.
How much fertilizer do I put down on Zoysia?
Enough to deliver ½ to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet each feeding. To turn that into pounds of fertilizer, divide the pounds of nitrogen you want by the percent nitrogen on the bag (the first of the three numbers). For a 3,000 square foot lawn getting ½ pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet from 15-0-15: 0.5 ÷ 0.15 = 3.33 pounds of product per 1,000 square feet, or about 10 pounds for the whole lawn. With ordinary fertilizer, keep any one feeding to 1 pound of nitrogen or less.
How short should I cut Zoysia?
About 1½ inches in full sun and 2 to 2½ inches in partial shade. With a regular rotary mower, about 2 inches works better. Raise it a little during heat or drought.
Is Zoysia or Bermuda better for South Carolina?
Both do well here. Zoysia fits yards with some shade and people who want to mow less. Bermuda fits yards in full sun that take heavy use. Centipede is the low-upkeep option if you keep fertilizer to a minimum.
Sources: Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center: Zoysiagrass Yearly Maintenance Program (HGIC 1217), Fertilizing Lawns (HGIC 1201), Zoysiagrass (HGIC 1212), Selecting a Lawn Grass (HGIC 1214). Last checked in September 2026.
Photo: Michael Rivera, University of Georgia Research and Education Garden, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.
Let us keep the calendar.
Feedings timed to green-up, the right amount for sun or shade, and weeds handled on the same schedule. Send us the address and we will quote the 7-Step Program for your Zoysia.
