Watering Zoysia
 

What is a proper watering schedule for zoysia this time of year?

My schedule is OFF from now through about March 1. The grass is dormant and the occasional showers are all that is needed. If it doesern't rain, watering about every other week is all that is needed.

My opinion and I bet you get many different opinions.

:coolsmiley:

I recommend watering at least one time per week during the winter. Last winter I damaged my lawn by not watering it much at all. Some areas died. The lawn had to be repaired this past spring. My lawn repair tech said due to Florida's mild winter climate the grass here never really goes completely dormant, as it does in northern states. He recommends irrigating at least once per week in winter. So, this winter I've set my irrigation system to once per week. In the summer I water my lawn three times per week. In the spring and fall, two times per week. However, since I live in The Villages full-time and can manage my system, I turn the irrigation off during a week when we get a decent amount of rain. My lawn is looking much healthier now.

:ohdear: Twice-per-week is allowed!

I agree with at least once a week this time of the year; we should get plenty of rain this coming Sunday.

It might vary but I think once a week in the winter and twice a week in the summer. Check your water district rules.
Due to the warmer days in the winter the grass is still growing. Not like further North. You need about 3/4 of an inch of water a week. I keep my system off until I need to water. Do the same in the summer. Cuts way down on the water and my grass is ok. I also fertilize, fungicides etc on a regular schedule. When the grass starts turning brown your roots should still be ok and the grass should come back. Try and avoid the grass going brown.

You do not mention your grass type
 

We have zoyzia and we do not water at all this time of year.
The current instruction is to apply last of your lawn fertilizer in October.

Far as opinions, there is no shortage of them. Since, in our section the water used for the lawn is not processed to drinking water standards, I would assume it is good idea to run the sprinkler about once a month to prevent it clogging.

I contract this decision out to my irrigation controller. I told it my grass type, the type of soil, and the slope of each irrigation zone. It contacts the weather service, checks for prediction of rain, the temperature, it determines the evaporation rates. It connects with a larger computer in the cloud. It decides if it will water and it tells me what it decided, or I can shut the notice off. Life is too short to trust folklore on irrigation times. Invariably my grass looks best on the block.

Edit to add: it adjusts for seasonal changes.

Rachio on Amazon.

Re: Some areas died
 

If, you have zoysia it has the ability to go dormant, brown, and it will come back with water, fertilizer and warmth in the spring-around April. St Augustine the other popular grass, if it goes brown it is dead and will need to be replaced.

As to the spots that went brown in the past. Most important question to answer is why those spots. Your sprinklers could be not applying the water evenly. There could be more sun hitting that area so it would need more water. You could be applying too much fertilizer there so it would need more water. The soil
could be different-unable to hold and absorb as much water.
It could be insects, fungus or??????

what ever your wallet will allow.by trying to save a few dollars why risk lawn damage

When they stop building and drawing more and more water, Then "they" can dictate to me how much water I can use to protect my investment. 3x per week March thru November.