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Zoysiagrass (Zoysia sp.) is a warm-season turfgrass that requires less water and fewer cultural inputs than cool-season grasses, but its widespread use by homeowners in the transition zone may be limited because of its extended duration of brown color during dormancy. Turf colorants are an option for improving zoysiagrass winter color. Our objective was to quantify the impact of colorants applied in autumn at three application volumes on persistence of green color on lawn-height ‘Chisholm’ zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica). The commercial colorants Green Lawnger, Endurant, and Wintergreen Plus were applied in Oct. 2013 in Manhattan, KS, and Haysville, KS, in solutions with water at 80, 160, or 240 gal/acre at a 1:6 dilution (colorant:water) and evaluated through late 2013 and Spring 2014. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), a cool-season turfgrass commonly used in home lawns in the transition zone, was included for comparison. Persistence of green color increased with application volume, but differences among colorants were limited. Colorants provided acceptable color (i.e., a visual rating ≥6 on a 1 to 9 scale) for 55 to 69 days at 80 gal/acre, 69 to 118 days at 160 gal/acre, and 118 to 167 days at 240 gal/acre. Compared with tall fescue, colorant-treated zoysiagrass had significantly higher color ratings for 98 to 112 days at 80 gal/acre, 112 to 154 days at 160 gal/acre, and 138 to 154 days at 240 gal/acre. Colorants increased turfgrass canopy temperature by up to 12.1 °F, but did not accelerate spring green-up. Duration of acceptable color on ‘Chisholm’ zoysiagrass lawns can be enhanced by increasing colorant application volume.

In the transitional climates, warm-season turfgrasses are more heat and drought resistant and require fewer pesticide and fertilizer inputs than cool-season turfgrasses, but an extended winter dormancy period in warm-season turfgrasses makes them less attractive. Our objective was to evaluate color intensity and persistence of colorants applied at two volumes, once or sequentially, on buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) maintained at 2.5 inches and zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) maintained at 0.5 inch. Field studies were conducted in Manhattan, KS, and Haysville, KS, from Oct. 2013 to May 2014 on dormant ‘Sharpshooter’ and ‘Cody’ buffalograss and ‘Meyer’ zoysiagrass. The colorants Green Lawnger, Endurant, and Wintergreen Plus were applied at 100 or 160 gal/acre in autumn (single application) or autumn plus midwinter (sequential application). Every 2 weeks, visual turf color was rated on a 1 to 9 scale (9 = best) with ratings based on the intensity of the color, not the color (hue) of green. Few differences in color persistence occurred among colorants, but color persisted longer at the higher spray volume. In general, buffalograss receiving a single autumn colorant application had acceptable color (i.e., a visual rating ≥6) for 55–70 days at 100 gal/acre or 55–88 days at 160 gal/acre. Zoysiagrass receiving a single autumn colorant application had acceptable color for 56–97 days at 100 gal/acre or 97–101 days at 160 gal/acre. Across all sites, a sequential midwinter application applied at 160 gal/acre on buffalograss and both application volumes on zoysiagrass provided acceptable green turf color from that point until spring green-up. Most buffalograss plots receiving the sequential midwinter application at 100 gal/acre had acceptable color from that point until spring green-up. Winter color of buffalograss and zoysiagrass can be enhanced by colorant application, and a longer period of acceptable color can be achieved by applying at a higher volume or by including a sequential midwinter treatment.