How Often Should You Water Mondo Grass

How Often Should You Water Mondo Grass? (Full Guide)

by

Mondo grass is a great ground cover that will quickly spread to form a lush, living carpet of green. Available in both dwarf and standard varieties, it only needs to be mown once a year and requires little maintenance to keep looking good.

Mondo grass can withstand brief periods without water, but for best results, it should be watered once a week once it has been established, unless there has been sufficient rainfall. New plantings should be watered a few times a week until they have developed good root systems.

Table of contents

How to Tell if Mondo Grass Needs Water?

You will know that your Mondo grass needs water when the blades start to appear wilted or start yellowing. Check the soil and if it’s dry, it’s time to water. Don’t forget, however, that Mondo grass blades naturally droop, forming a rounded clump, so that’s not a sign that the plants have dried out.

How Do You Know When Your Mondo Grass is Sufficiently Watered?

While running the sprinkler to water your Mondo grass, set a container on the ground. When there’s 1 or 2 inches of water collected, stop watering. Once you are finished just reach down and stick your fingers in the soil to test how wet it is, make sure it feels damp into the soil so you know the soil will not dry out too soon.

Can You Overwater a Mondo Grass?

Mondo grass does not grow well in soggy soil; it needs the ground to be moist but not soaking wet. If the roots are drowning in water and can’t breathe, they will rot, killing the plants. Do not keep your sprinkler running water over Mondo grass for too long, and there is no need to water Mondo grass before or after a rainfall.

What are Signs of Overwatered Mondo Grass?

Overwatered Mondo grass will first develop brown leaf tips, and then the foliage will start to yellow. These are symptoms of root rot, caused by poorly draining soil and too much water.

How Often Do You Need to Water Black Mondo Grass?

How Often to Water Black Mondo Grass

You might be wondering if black Mondo grass needs more or less watering. The black plant does look different and you may think the black color causes the sun to dry it out faster. However, black Mondo grass can be watered similarly to green Mondo grass, their soil prefers to be wet so watering weekly is required.

Mondo grass prefers to grow in the shade, so if your Mondo grass is growing in the sun and the soil is drying quickly, you may want to water more often to keep the soil moist. This is important whether the Mondo grass is black or not.

How Long Can Mondo Grass Go Without Water?

Mondo grass should be watered once a week if there has been insufficient rainfall to keep the plants healthy. Mondo grass is quite tough and depending on your location and the weather you are having it can go without the need for watering. It is native to Southeast Asia and grows in the wild, so in the correct elements it can thrive on its own. 

Should Mondo Grass Soil Be Moist?

Mondo grass should be moist but never sodden. When the top inch of the soil has dried out, it’s time to water it. A simple touch with your fingers can determine how damp the soil is. Mondo prefers damp soil, avoid dry and soggy soil when trying to grow your Mondo grass. 

Why is my Mondo Grass Turning Brown/Yellow?

Your Mondo grass is developing brown leaf tips, or yellowing blades, because it is growing in soil that is too wet. You should prepare the soil before planting so that it will drain well, while at the same time retaining some moisture.

Why is my Mondo Grass Droopy?

Your Mondo grass is droopy because that is its normal growth habit. The leaf blades naturally droop, forming a rounded shape. If your Mondo grass is flat and looking dead, your Mondo grass is either dying from heat, insufficient water, or over watering.

It should be easy to determine what issue it is, is the Mondo plant growing in direct sun? Has it rained recently? Just narrow it down and determine if it needs water or not. 

Does Mondo Grass Need Fertilizer?

Mondo grass is not a terribly hungry plant, but an occasional feeding will ensure strong, healthy growth.  It’s best to apply 1 or 2 inches of well-rotted compost or a granulated 10-10-10 chemical fertilizer in early spring. Water well to help the soil absorb the nutrients and feed the roots.

How Much Sunlight Does Mondo Grass Need?

Mondo grass can be grown in full sun, full shade, or anything in between. Because it is shade-tolerant, it’s a good choice for planting underneath trees where other plants might struggle without direct sun. It will thrive in a shaded area and will require the least of your time for caring too. 

Will Mondo Grass Survive in Direct Sunlight?

Mondo grass will survive when planted in direct sunlight. However, you can expect some fading of the deep green or black foliage when it is exposed to full afternoon sun. It’s best to find a spot for it where it gets some shade when the sun is its hottest.

Will Temperatures and Humidity Affect Mondo Grass?

Mondo grass will thrive in high humidity and temperatures between 60-70°F (15-21°C). However, it will not suffer even when temperatures rise above 90°F (32°C), as long as you keep the soil from drying out, and spritz the foliage from time to time to maintain humidity levels.

Will Mondo Grass Survive in the Winter?

Mondo grass will survive temperatures down to -10°F (-23°C), making it winter-hardy in zones 5-10. While it will not maintain evergreen foliage at the northern edge of its range, the plants will bounce back when things warm up in the spring. Just mow down the dead foliage in early spring to clean things up and give the new growth a chance to emerge.

Final Thoughts

Mondo grass is an excellent groundcover, especially for problem spots on steep slopes or in deep shade under mature trees. Tolerant of heat and humidity, and winter-hardy, this member of the lily family needs nothing more than a once-a-year feeding and an inch a water per week to grow lush and green.

It is possible to mix up Mondo grass and Monkey grass as they can look very similar, its important to distinguish them though. Read our related post “Mondo Grass vs Monkey Grass | What’s The Difference?” to learn all you need to know about each.