You're welcome. If you are using organics, then that explains the slow development of those seedlings. The first year you should use synthetics in order to get the grass to mature and be ready for the nasty summer heat and drought, then the following year you can change to all organics. If your soil is so crappy, there are a few things you can do to improve it: 1.- Mulch Mow (you probably already doing this) 2.- Mulch Mow your Fall Leafs (you probably doing this as well) 3.- Use organic fertilizers (you are already doing that) 4.- Order some top soil or chicken manure and topdress your lawn with it. I suggest you get a bag of synthetic fertilizer (just for now) so you can get those seedlings to mature before the heat and drought of the summer. The Lesco Starter Fertilizer 18-24-12 is a slow release, which is what you want. Poly Plus technology. Get that, wait for some rain in the forecast, put it down, then wait 2 to 4 weeks and you will have a beautiful lawn. What are you doing about the weeds? Do you have any?

I sodded my yard with Empire zoysia in the spring of 2007 and couldn't be happier with my selection. I can't give you any comparisons to Emerald or Z-52, because I don't have personal experiences with either of them but I can certainly share my thoughts on the Empire. As you already commented on, it's got a nice wide blade, very similar to St. Augustine. In fact, some neighbors originally thought that's what I had put down. As far as fertilizer goes, I give it a pound of N per 1K with a 3-1-2 w/Dimension in the spring when it's about 50% green (beginning of April). I give it another pound of N per 1K at the end of May with a 3-1-2, no Dimension this time. At the end of August it gets about a half pound of N per 1K with a 1-1-1. Finally, it gets a shot of 5-5-25 the first week of October. My lawn looked incredible this year. With regards to dormancy, it comes out of roughly the same time as all my neighbors bermuda and it probably stays green a couple of weeks longer. Some of this might be due to the Oct. winterizer treatment I do, though. I've had zero problems with pests (I put down a grub control at the end of June, and a fireant control in May) I've had no winter kill, or fungus issues at all. In terms of the growth rate, the grass is suprisingly aggressive getting into the flower beds, sidewalk cracks, etc. Not quite like Bermuda, but faster than I expected after hearing stories about zoysia's slower growth. Drought tolerance has been incredible. I live about 30 miles north of Atlanta and we haven't had significant rain going on 3 years now. Horrible, horrible drought. I didn't water the lawn once this year, and I haven't had any sections of my yard die off. When it doesn't get water, it shrivels up and browns out (almost like it's going dormant) With the water restrictions we had all summer I looked at the lawn on several occasions and cursed thinking it had to be dead. Nope! As soon as it got a little rain again it turned thick, green and lush. It's amazing how hardy it is! Shade tolerance is very, very good too. Much better than the Bermuda I had before. The sections in between my house and my neighbors on both sides only gets between 2 and 3 hours of sun per day and there's no thinning on either side. One other thing that's great with this grass is that you can cut it with a rotary and it looks great. I actually get striping with my (embarrased to say) Craftsman 21" mower! I also have a Trimmer reel mower I use on occasion too, but I find the rotary gives almost as good a cut and rarely pull out the Trimmer nowadays. That's all I can think of for now. Hope I was able to help and feel free to ask me any other questions you might have!

Oh I'd let them seed on their own. The seeds should disperse OK naturally. If your colony is not spreading fast enough, it may be because the seeds or seedlings are being eaten. So you might want to watch seedlings, and if they do seem to 'disappear', pot some up and grow them on before replanting when bigger. Divide the parents, if suitable, when they are big enough as well.

Nancy How long until wedding? I am assuming that tea cups do not have drainage holes? If so, I would grow them in regular pots until just before wedding, in very well draining mix, and also fertigate generously. I do not think that it is best for succulents (I hardly ever fertilize any of mine), but for a short time they should be OK. I often think that growers overfertilize plants before sending them to sellers - but that is JMO and could be wrong. What makes me think so is that plants are often quite fat, blooming heavily or have lots of buds, and look like they are on steroids. I am sure they also have quite regulated growing conditions, nearly perfect for fast growth (which you may have with a GH - make sure they don't cook!), but suspect lots of fertilizer as an additional help... I would use balanced fert (I think you guys in US can get FoliagePro easily?)