Question
I am seeking a program for maintenance on emerald zoysia regarding pre-emergent for weed control, fertilization and any other issues. On 5/12/07, Charlotte B. mentioned an organic program that she used. I am for looking at all options and the pros/cons of each. I appreciate any assistance. Thanks in advance...

Answer
The Expert Formerly Known as Charlotte B. went into considerable detail about her schedule and treatments.  If I recall correctly, she lived in Texas.  Her prolific use of Table Sugar continues to receive wide attention and comment, although I think it was often misunderstood; many readers interpreted her statements to mean that she could kill Weeds with Sugar, when I think that all she meant was that Sugar provided a lot of extra nutrients for beneficial microbes in the Soil, which in turn would be better for the Lawn.

I agree that Soil microbes are the key to great Soil, therefore they are the key to great Grass.  Or anything you want to grow in a garden.  But I have never, never, NEVER agreed with the statement that Table Sugar boosts the population of microbes.  Look at it this way:  If you take a tablespoon of Sugar and mix it with water, and leave it on the counter in the kitchen, what happens to it?  Does it spoil?  Nope!  Do we refrigerate candy?  What's the shelf life of a candy bar?

Suppose you slice a piece of orange and leave it out.  It gets moldy.  What happens if you CANDY that orange slice?  Nothing!  It's Candy -- a sugar-coated slice of Orange.  Microbes are so averse to Sugar that you can use it as a preservative.

But if you put a glass of milk on the counter, and leave it out a few days, you can SMELL the microbes in that glass of milk.

Bacteria make up the majority of Soil Microbes.  Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter take Ammonia in the Soil and turn it into Nitrates.  But Soil Fungi contribute the most to the Soil, so Fungi get all the credit for being the dominant decomposer in the Soil.  Algae, which include Cyanobacteria, and Protozoa (which eat Bacteria and certain Fungi) also exist in huge numbers and are a key part of the food chain and Nitrogen/Carbon cycles.  All these microbes subsist on organic matter in the Soil.  Sweetening the Soil with Sucrose does nothing for them.

Weed Control is easy when you're growing Zoysia.  Once established, Zoysia is a thick, green carpet that takes no prisoners.  People apply it in the Spring as a pre-emergent - instead of some Scotts product.  Corn Gluten Meal is produced under license from Iowa State; it is available in many garden centers.

Read the directions carefully so that you get all the stuff down at the right time.  I do not believe Home Depot or Lowes is going to sell this.  They make a lot of money on Scotts and Ortho products.  They will sing the praises of the most toxic chemicals money can buy without a second thought.  They're nice people - they just don't know any better.

There is a patent on the application of Corn Gluten Meal as a preemergent.  That should tell you something.

Any producer of a Lawn product sold for this purpose that includes Corn Gluten Meal must be licensed.  Scotts doesn't have one of those licenses.  So you won't find it at Home Depot etc. or in a bag marked "Scotts".  It is readily available on the internet, but shipping is ridiculous, and you can definitely pick it up in your local garden center -- but you may have to look around a bit.

There is plenty of literature documenting Corn Gluten as a preemergent - let me know if you would like me to send you the links, they're all over the place, but it takes time to read.  I personally find this fascinating.  It was discovered purely by accident.

The CGM will decompose and fertilize your LAwn on a steady, healthy schedule all Summer.  You won't need to put down any fertilizer after the CGM goes down.  It's also a great soil conditioner.

Mowing is considered another effective strategy for Weed control.  If you mow your Zoysia (which is done less as Lawns go) on schedule, at the perfect height, you rattle the Weeds while strengthening the Grass.

Fertilizing Grass, Zoysia or not, is an outdated method of Lawn Care.  Out with the old, in with the new.

Any questions are welcome.  Thanks for writing.  Bravo for your Organic Mission.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER