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Planting a rye grass lawn is similar to planting lawns of any other grass type.  Prepping the lawn area properly will result in a lawn that is quicker to fill in and healthier in the long run.  How do you know if planting a rye grass lawn is right for you?  How do you determine that rye grass will grow best in the growing conditions of your lawn area?  Here are the vital stats about Perennial Rye Grass:

Hardiness zone: 3-9

Optimum pH: 5.8-7.2

Days to germination: 5-10

Mowing height: 3-4 inches

Water requirements: average

Growth spread: via clumps

Nitrogen requirement: 2-3 pounds per 1000 sq. ft.

Shade tolerance: low

Disease resistance: high

Insect resistance: high

Heat tolerance: medium

Cold tolerance: medium

As you can see from reading the above characteristics, rye grass is a good type of grass for most sunny locations in the central United States.  Be careful not to confuse perennial rye grass with annual rye grass.  Annual rye grass is often used to overseed warm season grass lawns in the south during the winter.  Perennial rye grass seed is good to add to lawn grass seed mixtures in the north and north-central areas of the US.

Perennial Ryegrass Distribution

Seeding a New Rye Grass Lawn

Rye grass grows well and fast from seed.  It is not as aggressive as some other types of turf because it spreads by growing larger clumps, rather than sending out rhizomes or stolons.  Therefore, the seeding rate is higher than for some other grasses.  If you plant a rye lawn from seed, you will need to sow about 8-10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet, which is on the high end.  Fescues sometimes have a higher seed rate.  One good attribute of perennila ryegrass is that it germinates quickly and establishes a deep root system, so it is excellent to plant in areas where erosion is a concern.  It will sprout and maintain a steep incline very quickly.

Establishing a new lawn requires good technique druing three different phases:  preparation, planting and care after planting.  Make sure you follow these tips during this critical time of lawn establishment.

Prepping

Don’t skimp on the prep work for your new lawn!  If you do, you will pay for it time and time again.  Always add as much good quality soil or soil/compost mix to the area where you are going to plant the new lawn.  Have the soil tested and correct any nutrient deficiencies or pH issues before planting.  (At this stage, you cannot use synthetic fertilizer, as it can inhibit root growth.  If you need to add nitrogen, use a feedmeal.)  Rake the soil so that it is even, and soak it thoroughly a day or two before planting.

Planting

Put about 1/3 of the grass seed you will use into your spreader.  Spread that load of seed.  Repeat twice, for the entire lawn area, walking in a different direction.  (This is similar to varying your mowing pattern.)  This will allow for even coverage.  When you have put down all of the seed, roll the seed lightly with a drum roller filled about halfway with water.  This will ensure that the grass seed is in good contact with the soil.

Care after Planting

Cover the rye grass seed with a VERY thin (1/4 an inch or less) layer of compost, and water the lawn about twice a day for about ten minutes.  Use a sprinkler, not an unbroken hose stream, which will wash away the grass.  Until the grass seed is fully growing, continue to water at least once a day, gradually tapering off.  You will be able to mow after about 6-8 weeks.  Set your mower blade as high as it will go, and mow once or twice a week.  Evaluate the new planting about four months after you have installed the lawn.  Overseed any areas that are thin.

Planting a rye grass lawn makes sense for most homeowners in its favored location.  It is a hardy, disease resistant, low maintenance turf.

Even though it can be hard work, planting a new lawn is a rewarding process. Follow our step by step procedure for planting a lawn to get it right the first time!

Few things are as exciting for a homeowner than planting a new lawn.  With a bit of grass seed or a few pallets of sod, a lush, new outdoor carpet awaits.  There is more to installing a new lawn than throwing down some sod or planting grass seed, though.  A little bit of planning goes a long way toward growing a healthy lawn.

Step One:  Seed or Sod

Before you can begin the rest of your planning, you need to decide if you are going to plant grass seed or lay sod.  The preparation for both is somewhat similar, but the maintenance and time for establishment is different for each.  A seeded lawn takes longer to establish, but is less expensive than sod.  Sod must be carefully maintained during the first month after installation to maintain even growth.  It is difficult to repair sod that dies in patches.  It is much easier to overseed a seeded lawn if some areas do not germinate well.

Step Two:  Prepare the Soil

Whether you are planting a grass seed lawn or laying a sod lawn, the number one factor in long-term success is the preparation beforehand.  Sod has been carefully tended on a sod farm, growing in the best soil with the exact amount of water and food needed to set good roots.  Moving sod from the sod farm to an unprepared base more or less spells instant death for the grass.  Likewise for grass seed.  If there is one single thing you can do to increase the success of your newly established lawn, it is to properly prepare the soil.  Here’s what you need to do:

• First, kill any perennial weeds.  If you are installing a lawn in a particularly weedy area, you may need to go through a few cycles of turning the soil over, letting the weeds germinate and then killing them to reduce the weed seed bank.
• Prepare soil amendments and till them into the soil.  The best soil for grass is sandy loam.  That means a soil that has some sand and some organic matter.  If the soil is all sand, or a very hard clay, you will want to till in a compost/topsoil mix to improve the soil structure and fertility.  It is important to incorporate the elements into the existing soil.  If you simply lay new soil on top of old soil, you can cause a drainage problem because water will not move well from one layer to the next—it could drain too fast or too slowly.

Step Three:  Install the Sod or Plant the Grass Seed

• When installing sod, it is important to stagger the strips so that your lawn does not look like a checkerboard.  Lay the two pieces of sod down, end to end, with about an inch or two of overlap on each end.  Then push the ends together and down to the ground.
• Grass seed can be sown directly on top of the soil.  To keep the seed moist, straw can be spread on top of the seed.  Do not use hay or straw with seed heads, as you will run the risk of incorporating weeds into your new lawn.

Step Four:  Maintain the New Lawn

• With seed and sod, it is important to keep foot traffic off the lawn until it is established.  Sod needs about 3-4 weeks to establish.  A lawn planted with grass seed needs at least two months before any foot traffic is allowed, and up to four months before it can withstand heavy foot traffic.
• After the lawn is established, apply a granular pre emergence herbicide to keep weeds from sprouting in the new lawn.  Do NOT apply this herbicide at the time of planting, as it will interfere with establishment.
• Begin a routine watering maintenance program.

Next, enjoy your newly planted lawn.  You deserve it!

The characteristics of Bermuda Grass make it a perfect candidate for golf courses all across the southern U.S.

You have recently moved from the winter storms of the North to the South’s sunny acres. You have spent years cultivating and maintaining yards abundant in bluegrass, winter rye grass, and fescues, but are a bit unsure when it comes to lawn coverings of the South. There are a variety of grasses grown in southern lawns, but one of the most prevalent is Bermuda grass.

Why Plant Bermuda Grass?

The fertile Bermuda grass has been called “the bluegrass of Dixieland”; it is a grass that is frequently found on the numerous golf courses throughout the South. Bermuda grass thrives under the intense sun, preferring temperatures of 50*F or higher, with no shade trees or bushes. Bermuda grass (it Latin name is Cynodon) is aesthetically appreciated as it is very low to the ground. The grass has a deep root system which allows the Bermuda grass to be erosion resistant, and able to withstand excessive foot traffic. Bermuda grass contains both rhizomes (underground runners that extend sideways to start new plants) and stolons (above ground runners that spread grass varieties) so it works great as a ground cover repair.

Lawns started using Bermuda grass seed can be thick and verdant within 3 months of planting. There are a variety of hybrid grasses and cultivars which have come from Bermuda grass seeds that have been designed to adapt to cooler weather, have more color, softer texture and are able to withstand disease better. These Bermuda grass cultivars are Tifsport, Tifway, Aussie Green, Celebration, Premiere, Patriot, and Ashmore.

In spite of all its great features, Bermuda grass does have a few drawbacks. These negatives are:

1. Bermuda grass requires more nitrogen that other warm weather grasses which results in attracting insects.
2. Bermuda grass forms thatch and requires a great deal of maintenance.
3. Bermuda grass must be edged as in can be invasive.
4. Bermuda grass will turn a straw color after a frost, so it is necessary to plan on winter overseeding.

Bermuda Grass Q&A:

1. What zones should plant Bermuda grass seeds?
   USDA zones 7-10
2. Where did Bermuda grass originate?
   Africa
3. What is the pH range of Bermuda grass?
   5.8 to 7.5
4. How long is the germination and establishment?
   Between 7 – 14 days
5. How high should you let Bermuda grass grow?
   1-2 inches
6. How much water is needed?
   Average amount
7. What is the nitrogen level?
   4-5 at pounds per square foot
8. What is Bermuda grasses salt tolerance?
   Good
9. How much maintenance is needed?
   Bermuda grass requires a great deal of care; it could be called the diva of the warm season grasses.
10. What soil is best for planting Bermuda grass seeds?
    Bermuda grass will grow in any soil type
11. How tolerant is Bermuda grass to insect and disease?
    Bermuda grass has only a mild tolerance level
12. When is the best time of year to plant Bermuda grass seed?
    April