Alan’s Answers: How Do You Plant Ryegrass?

How do you plant ryegrass?

We carry ryegrass seed and all the tools you will need seed your lawn. Our trained staff can answer any questions you may have!

Ryegrass stays green all winter, making it a favorite of southern gardeners, who sow annual rye in the fall for a lush lawn through the coldest months. You can plant ryegrass in the fall without disturbing your existing lawn. Once warmer weather returns, the rye will die back, allowing the permanent lawn to take over. Ryegrass is also sometimes planted as a cover crop in fall, and tilled under in the spring to add nutrients, especially nitrogen, to a garden or pasture land.

Step 1: Cut any existing grass short. Fort Valley State University in Georgia recommends trimming grass to 3/4 to 1 inch tall.

Step 2: Water the planting area. Wet soil will hold the ryegrass seeds and speed germination.

Step 3: Fill a mechanical spreader with ryegrass seed. The spreader will allow you to sow the seed evenly.

Step 4: Broadcast the seed across the lawn with the spreader. Sow in one direction for half the lawn and in the other direction for the other half of the lawn. Fort Valley State University recommends 3 to 5 lbs. of seed per 1,000 square feet of lawn. For larger areas, Oklahoma State University recommends 20 to 25 lbs. of seed per acre.

Step 5: Apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer to the lawn after planting the seed. Distribute the fertilizer with the broadcast spreader and water in well.

Step 6: Fertilize the lawn again two months and four months after planting.

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