Green Experiment Zoysia Tenuifolia The Centre of the garden, planting 12cmLa Zoysia Matrella, variant Tenuifolia (also called Mascarene Grass, commercially, because the original of the Mascareignes), or more simply Zoysia Tenuifolia is an herb of the family of macroterme production, who loves the high temperatures, growing only between 25 and 35 and goes into dormancy when temperatures fall below 10 constantly. Does not tolerate the cold winters and dies with temperatures below-10. For these reasons the establishment of Zoysia to 44th parallel north is actually an experiment. The 10th of July after working the land and added 2 cm of silica sand to improve the drainage of my clay-rich soil planting I buried 660, purchased by the company Pacini (ErbavoglioSystem), with the planting of 21 cm. Since then photographer various areas of my garden every 2 weeks to keep a track of my efforts and to document the growth. As you can see from the picture on the right after approximately 2 months the Centre (where the plants were only 12 cm apart) is practically closed. Important to note that the green thumb I I've never even seen from far away and that any previously had planted grass in my garden was always constantly full of weeds, infrequently, cut of whatever color you can imagine. Possible to have a decent the lawn should spend hours every week and that if one week you don't have time to grow anything except cut the grass that you want? The first two weeks I've watered by hand twice daily, then after two weeks by transplantation of Zoysia, I decided to install an underground irrigation system, in order to go on vacation. I then bolted to the 4 corners dynamic RainBird irrigation (3500). THE CENTRE OF THE GARDEN (Plant Spacing was 12cm apart) (Approximately 2 5 month s growth) Green Experiment Page 1
Until departure for holidays (1 month after implantation) I watered every day, then I slowed irrigation on 20 minutes every 2 days (7-10 litres per square metre). Back from vacation I have slowed down further (30 minutes every 3 days) to push the Zoysia to seek water a bit more in depth and to stimulate it to strengthen the root system that will face a very difficult winter for you! DIAGONAL STRIPE OF GARDEN OVERALL VIEW OF GARDEN FROM THE HOUSE Green Experiment Page 2
Important to add that my garden corners has really very little Earth (between 10 and 30 cm) and that previously the worst suffered from very hot in those areas. For now the Zoysia is growing more slowly in the corners but, as you see in the picture on the left, (the black disk that appears from the second onwards is the irrigator). CORNER OF THE GARDEN (SLOWER GROWTH DUE TO LACK OF SOIL DEPTH) Probably these areas will need other 2-3 months of hot to close and then late summer 2010, but time does not worry me. I hope more than anything that the winter not too put to the test. To view and touch the Zoysia Tenuifolia is beautiful, at times it makes one wonder whether real or fake, is dense and lush! At this point my Zoysia MUST survive, because I don't think I could accept a mediocre lawn of microtherm and gialline, infested, constantly in need of care and treatment. I'm just curious to see the effect that I will be doing the yellowing due to dormancy, between what will this process and when it will resume the vegetative life this spring! After the second month in some plants began to grow very tall and very wide, so if in doubt between the shave and trim it I decided to do it for half. So armed with scissors I cut approximately 4 cm tall peaks half of seedlings! Green Experiment Page 3
The last comparison, below, to see that in a month (the second month after the plant), runners have increased considerably and then begin to take root and fill of leaflets. RETAIL GROWTH RUNNERS That is, therefore, I will continue to document the experiment, and hoping to be a success, prophesy the use of this herb "magical". Update 10 July 2010 FROM THE DRIVEWAY, GENERAL VIEW, 8 JULY 2010 Green Experiment Page 4
Here I am to celebrate the first year of my lawn, just in the last weeks before the birthday has finally achieved a form worthy of the fame of Zoysia! As you can see in above there are still spots at the positions of the plant, but the result of all begins to like it a lot. From late May, I kept cut very low, and now walking on is a real show! It almost seems to be fake is so thick! In comparative here you see the evolution of the central area. After 12 months, do you notice any difference in the central part where I had put the plants denser, so if you decide to try not strive to accomplish too dense, so it doesn't change anything! Below, however, comparisons of all over the whole period, including the snow! Whereas it has been a winter among coldest in history and that summer has been slow so much to say that the result is much better than expected, and now the heat will complete the work! CENTRAL AREA WHERE PLANTS MORE DENSE VERTICAL COMPARISON OVER THE WHOLE PERIOD TO 12 MONTHS Green Experiment Page 5
HOME GARDEN SEEN FROM COMPARISON Green Experiment Page 6