Although no grass type benefits from saltwater, Zoysiagrass is considered to be pretty tolerant of saltwater intrusion. Coastal customers are likely well aware of the effects of saltwater intrusion which occurs when high tides or storm surges flood areas low in elevation or raise the groundwater table just below the surface, bringing up salinity.
High levels of salinity in the soil can not only injure/kill off grass, shrubs and flowers but can also prohibit seeds from absorbing fresh water. When saltwater does flood a property, or even just a property line, it is important to thoroughly flush out the ground.
Storms or tides aren't the only culprits though... Sea spray or saltwater pools can also cause issues on a much smaller scale over time.
First things first, test your soil!
Even if you have sand-based soil, which drains more easily, you'll still want to see just how much the salinity has affected the area. Clay-like soil will be more laborious to recover but not impossible. If you do have a more clay-based yard you may need to aerate to allow for better fresh water absorption. We hope that these steps are helpful in recovering your yard:
After clearing the area of any debris it is time to start soaking it. Please note: If you are using water from an open water source like a pond you'll want to make sure the water source hasn't been affected as well. This dilution process should be started ASAP so do not worry about waiting for the results of the soil test to start. It is best to frequently flush out the area with an inch of fresh water each time. This process should be repeated over several days. After about 1 week or thoroughly soaking the lawn you should see at/around 50% of the sodium has been flushed from the soil.
If the issues are on smaller scale, say around the edge of your pool, you should be able to treat the area effectively using a sprinkler or irrigation system. You can opt to run the sprinkler system for about 15 minutes after pool use as the salinity is much less likely to have deeply affected the yard.
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