How Much Water for Zoysia Sod?

Initial Watering

• The night before you intend to lay your zoysia sod, water the entire area onto which you will lay the sod, so that the water penetrates the soil to a depth of ¼ inch to ½ inch. This will ensure that the soil is damp in the morning when you lay the sod, enabling the sod's roots to immediately penetrate the soil and start spreading out. As soon as the sod is laid in place, water the entire area so that the water penetrates the top inch of the soil. If necessary, use a small spade or hoe to dig out a section, ensuring that the sod is wet enough.

Watering for Rooting

• For the first four to six weeks after laying the sod, you must keep the zoysia consistently moist to encourage root establishment. Apply enough water to penetrate the top inch of soil every day for this initial time period, until the sod is fully rooted. You will be able to tell the sod is fully rooted when it begins to grow tall enough that you are thinking about mowing it. After this period, apply ¼ inch of water every three days for nine days. Then reduce the watering to ½ inch of water every fifth day for 10 days. This will gradually help the sod adjust to reduced watering.

Continued Watering

• Once the zoysia sod is fully rooted and adjusted, the sod needs only 1 to 2 inches of water each week. The actual amount of water needed varies by climate, as well as by rainfall amount. If your sod receives enough rain to fulfill 1 inch of water in a week, you do not need to water at all. If you need help determining the amount of rainfall your sod has received, place a number of buckets around different areas of your lawn to track the water intake. You can also find this information in your local weather report.

How to Water

• Water your sod in the early-morning hours, before 10 a.m. In general, the hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. are the hottest and sunniest of the day. If your lawn does not have time to absorb the water before then, the water may evaporate and leave your sod dry. You can water the sod with a hose or with a sprinkler system. You can use the bucket method while your sprinklers run to determine how long they need to spray to achieve a 1-inch water level.