How Often Should You Water Zoysia & for How Long?

Zoysiagrass is often used for golf courses.

Zoysiagrass is a warm-season grass, but it can grow in transition areas. It is drought resistant, which makes it a good choice for dry areas. Zoysiagrass does not handle cold weather. Use the grass for lawns, baseball fields or golf courses. The lawn can be planted as seeds, plugs or sod. No matter how the Zoysiagrass is planted, it will need lots of water until roots are established. After that, Zoysiagrass needs little maintenance. The amount of water Zoysiagrass needs is measured by depth, and how long to water depends on soil conditions.

Testing Depth

Knowing how much water is applied to the lawn after a certain amount of time is important. This measurement will provide the answer on how long to water the lawn. Place six identical containers, such as tin cans, on random areas of the lawn. Let the sprinkler run for one hour. Measure the depth of the water in each can, and calculate the average amount of water for all the cans. This number is how many inches of water are applied to the lawn in one hour. Calculate how long it would take to apply 1 inch of water.

First Watering

Zoysiagrass must be watered within the first 30 minutes of application, which applies to seeds, plugs and sod. Water the soil until 1 inch of water has been applied. The soil should be moist but not soaking. For seeds, water the soil three or four times a day for the first 14 to 21 days. The seeds will be sprouting. For plugs or sod, water three or four times a day for the first 14 days, which will allow the roots to take hold in the soil. The soil needs to be kept at 1 inch of water, so only add enough water to remain at that depth. Use a spade to dig a hole in the soil and measure the depth of the water.

Continued Maintenance

Once the Zoysiagrass seeds have sprouted or the roots have taken hold, reduce watering to 1 inch a week. Watering should be done two or three times a week. For example, if it takes 30 minutes to apply 1 inch, water the lawn for 15 minutes twice a week or 10 minutes three times a week, which should be done for five weeks; slowly reduce the watering for the next three weeks. After eight weeks total, the lawn will only need occasional watering.

Soil Conditions

Soil conditions will affect the amount of water it takes to reach a 1-inch depth. Sandy soil absorbs the water and dries quickly. Zoysiagrass planted in sandy soil will need more water. Clay soil holds in more water. Zoysiagrass planted in clay soil will need less water. Some soils are a mix of types. The only way to know for sure how long to water is to perform a depth test.

Considerations

The weather will affect the amount of water Zoysiagrass needs. After a hard rain, measure the depth of water in the soil. Only water the lawn if necessary. Hard rains may also overwater the lawn. Do not add more, and let the water absorb before watering. Over-watering can kill Zoysiagrass. On dry days, more water might be necessary. During a drought, apply 1/2 inch of water instead of 1 inch, which will "train" the Zoysiagrass to survive on less water.

References

• Walter Reeves: Zoysia - Watering
• Zoysias: How To Seed Zoysia In Lawns & Golf Courses
• Texas A&M University; Zoysiagrass; Richard Duble