Cane Creek Sod - More About Empire

Less Water…More Beauty… Naturally

EMPIRE Zoysia elevates the standards and expectations of homeowners for their lawns. EMPIRE Turf combines soft-to-the-touch feel with lush green color and fine, tight blade growth. Visually, EMPIRE is a very attractive turfgrass for residential landscapes. Homeowners also appreciate its maintenance advantages. This turfgrass accommodates a variety of activities without suffering extensive wear and tear. You might not expect turfgrass this soft to be this strong. EMPIRE Turf is as hardy as it is attractive, and has a deep, thick root structure. It is more drought tolerant than most varieties of zoysiagrass, once established. In addition, slower vertical growth, plus natural chinch bug and chemical resistances, mean your lawn will require less maintenance, mowing and water than with other types of warm season grass. In some instances, once naturalized to the local climate, EMPIRE Turf requires minimal irrigation. These reduced maintenance needs and durability are EMPIRE’s hallmarks. EMPIRE zoysia was originally developed in Brazil, and thrives in harsh tropical climates, yet also exhibits excellent cold hardiness. EMPIRE Turf is one of the few grasses rated to perform well in all zones; and it can thrive in varying soils and climatic conditions. Durable enough for professional use, EMPIRE zoysia is also a favorite of golf courses, theme parks, master planned communities, office complexes and other commercial areas.

Maintenance Guidelines

EMPIRE Zoysia is a Brazilian Zoysia japonica developed by turfgrass breeders Minoru Ito and Roberto Gurgel that offers specifiers, landscapers, golf course designers, sportsturf managers and homeowners exceptional performance with low maintenance across a wide spectrum of applications. EMPIRE Turf is a blue-green turfgrass that has a wider blade than most other zoysias (slightly broader than Meyer Zoysia) and grows in a wide variety of soil and climate conditions.

EMPIRE Turf performs well in sandy and clay type soils throughout the southern U.S. and has tough runners, rhizomes, and deep roots that provide excellent sod strength, wearability, and improved drought tolerance. EMPIRE performs well in hot, arid, sandy areas of the southwest U.S., and has proven itself drought tolerant in many challenging applications. Shade tolerance research is ongoing, as EMPIRE Zoysia has performed well in field and homeowner sites, and exhibits shade tolerance typical of most Zoysias. EMPIRE Turf is the first Zoysia to demonstrate improved tolerance to brown patch. Additionally, EMPIRE Turf is highly tolerant of most herbicides making it easier to control weeds during production and for the end user.

Production and Quality Control

Genetic purity and preservation of the EMPIRE Zoysia variety is of primary importance to Sod Solutions. Only turfgrass producers licensed by Sod Solutions are authorized to grow EMPIRE zoysia for sale. All licensed EMPIRE Turf production is monitored by Sod Solutions through ongoing quality control and quality assurance programs. Additionally, producers can choose to certify their EMPIRE Turf through local state crop certification agencies that provide rigid standards and regulations for production, harvesting, and handling, that when adhered to, ensure a genetically pure, high quality, "certified" product.

Best Management Practices

To ensure optimum quality and performance of EMPIRE Turf, users must accomplish necessary care and maintenance. This care and maintenance has been formalized below in the Best Management Practices (BMPs) for EMPIRE Zoysia. These BMPs are written as a guide and should be modified as local climate, soil, and environmental conditions dictate. It is important to note that no "magic fertilizer" or "super-chemical" will solve all problems or make any turfgrass perfect. Through consistent application of the BMPs and on-going evaluation, education, and modification of these practices, however, users will greatly enhance the quality and performance of EMPIRE Zoysia grass.

Installation and the care taken during the initial days that follow are the most critical factors in determining the long-term quality and performance of EMPIRE Zoysia. Harvesting and transplantation are extremely stressful to any turfgrass and precautionary measures should be taken to help reduce further cultural and environmental stresses. EMPIRE Turf is a tough, hardy turfgrass that once established, produces a beautiful lifetime lawn, landscape, sportsturf or golf course. Proper care, including pre-installation soil preparation and limiting time on the pallet to less than 24 hours yields positive results. Improper care, however, can cause death of the turfgrass or damage that results in lengthy recovery and additional expense.

Post Establishment

Mowing:
Mowing is a critical and often under appreciated cultural practice:
Maintain EMPIRE Turf at 1-2"(1" is optimal) Heights above 2" will reduce quality.
Can be maintained at heights of 1/2" if regularly mowed with a reel mower.
Rotary mowers are preferred for heights 1" or higher.
Reel mowers are preferred for heights below 1".
Mow every 7-10 days during the active growing season Mow every 10-14 days, or as needed, during cooler weather.
Never cut more than 1/3 of the total length of the blade at any one mowing.
If a scheduled mowing is missed and clippings clump on top of the EMPIRE, bag or vacuum clippings to reduce shade-out.
Vertical mowing (verticutting) may be performed to renovate EMPIRE Turf.

Insecticides:
Avoid stress from insects by performing insecticidal applications as needed:
For any insecticide application, always read and follow label directions carefully.
Early identification and treatment of insect stress minimizes inputs and injury.
Make routine observations of the landscape, and be aware of seasonal pests like billbugs, armyworms and webworms.
Grubs can reduce quality if critical populations are reached.
Control armyworms and webworms with Sevin, Orthene, Diazinon or Permethrin-based products.
Control billbugs with Sevin (adults), Talstar (adults), DeltaGuard (adults), Merit (larval/grub form), Mach2 (larval/grub form).

Herbicides:
Proper mowing, irrigation and fertilization of EMPIRE Turf will reduce weed problems.
If a weed problem persists: For any herbicide application, always read and follow label directions carefully.
Improper use of herbicides can severely damage or kill EMPIRE.
Make routine observations of the landscape being aware of seasonal weeds Identify the type of weed causing the problem before using any chemical controls.
EMPIRE is tolerant of most commonly used herbicides.

Fungicides:
EMPIRE Turf has shown resistance to most fungal problems and controls should be used only as needed:
For any fungicide application, always read and follow label directions carefully.
Early identification and treatment of disease stress minimizes inputs and injury Make routine observations of the landscape being aware of unusual symptoms.
Consider a broad-spectrum fungicide application if predictable seasonal problems are noted.
Ask your EMPIRE grower to apply fungicide 1-2 weeks prior to harvest during times of high, disease-inducing stress.

Irrigation:
Established EMPIRE Turf exhibits drought tolerance due to improved plant genetics and growth characteristics:
Watering requirements are greatly dependent on soil type, season, geography and other factors.
Ensure irrigation systems are working properly and covering all areas covered by EMPIRE Turf.
Make routine observations of the landscape and learn the signs (i.e., wilting) that indicate when irrigation is required.
Shaded areas and heavy soils require less water than full-sun areas and sandy soils.
Encourage deep root growth by watering until the soil is moist to a depth of 3”, shallow watering encourages shallow roots.
Infrequent deep watering maximizes drought resistance and tolerance Visit our watering tips for more information on proper irrigation.

Fertility:
Proper fertility practices will encourage healthy, disease and insect free EMPIRE:
Perform soil tests to understand your soil type(s) and condition and best determine your specific fertility needs.
Generally EMPIRE Turf requires 3 fertilizer applications/year: spring, summer and fall Make routine observations and fertilize according to what the landscape indicates.
Understand what and how much fertilizer you are applying.
Avoid disease and insect inducing growth flushes by reducing Nitrogen rates.
Improve color and limit growth surges by utilizing iron sources Higher Nitrogen rates should only be applied in the spring, for injury recovery, or for planned “peaking” of EMPIRE Turf.
Apply balanced fertilizers with lower rates of Nitrogen in the summer and fall.