Establishment dynamics of two zoysiagrass cultivars as affected by planting time, sprigging rate, and topdressing

Vegetative establishment of zoysiagrass ( Zoysia spp.) is often slow, which can limit its adoption on golf courses. Understanding how establishment practices interact with cultivar selection and seasonal conditions is critical to improving success. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of planting time, sprigging rate, and sand topdressing on the establishment speed, turf quality, and shear strength of two zoysiagrass ‘Stadium’ ( Zoysia matrella ) and ‘LOBO’ ( Zoysia japonica × Zoysia matrella ). A field experiment was conducted in Palm Desert, CA, including four planting dates (March, April, May, and July), three sprigging rates (30, 45, and 60 m 3 ha − 1 ), and two planting methods (with or without 1 cm sand topdressing) on a previously herbicide‐killed bermudagrass turf. Establishment was monitored using percent turf cover, visual quality, and shear strength. Establishment was analyzed using mixed‐effects models incorporating days after planting and cumulative growing degree days. Planting date affected establishment: March resulted in the slowest establishment, while April and May were much quicker. Stadium established faster and produced higher visual quality than LOBO. Increasing sprigging rate improved visual quality and establishment, while topdressing reduced cumulative cover in early plantings but resulted in quicker cover during warmer planting periods. Across treatments, topdressing reduced surface shear strength by approximately 37%. These findings demonstrate that successful zoysiagrass establishment depends on aligning cultivar choice and management practices with seasonal conditions, with mid‐spring planting and higher sprigging rates providing the most reliable balance of rapid establishment, turf quality, and surface stability.