Zoysia – Seeding Fescue

Q: Can I overseed my zoysia back yard with creeping red fescue to keep it green this winter?

A: I’m doubtful you’ll get the results you want. In order for creeping red fescue to germinate it needs close contact with the soil. If your zoysia grass is as dense as most, the fescue seed will be caught on the leaves and will not contact the soil at all. On the other hand, if you mow the zoysia low enough to expose the soil, the zoysiagrass is very likely to have substantial winter-kill from cold weather. Some lawn owners overseed bermudagrass with annual ryegrass. This is usually more successful because bermudagrass foliage is less dense than zoysia. Use a pre-emergent product to keep cool-season weeds out of your zoysiagrass lawn and enjoy its brown color in winter.