Rye grass is used in lawns, turfs and pastures. The grass has all the desirable qualities like bright green color, fast growing, versatile and prolific. Basically, there are two types of rye grasses which are perennial rye grass and annual rye grass. They may be planted as pure strains or in combination with each other or with combination of various other grasses. Both of these grasses grow fast and adapt well to cooler climates. Hence, they are also referred as winter rye grass. Perennial rye grass is used for permanent lawns and in cooler climates. The annual is seeded annually and it lives for one season as winter rye grass.
Both the rye grasses provide winter green lawn over seeded on warm season grasses as they go dormant in winter. Annual rye grass is very popular and is more adaptable to a variety of soils. Since it germinates fast, it is used for instant green and places that have hottest zones.
It is used as fill in grass on other slow growing permanent golf greens. It is a cool season grass and used for over seeding warm or cool season grasses. It is also very environment friendly as it thrives well on nematode infested areas. Annual rye grass is Eco friendly grass and is cost effective when planted after nematode favorite grass.
It can be removed easily from any place through grazing, mowing or turning before seeding. It is non aggressive, vigorous growing, beautiful colored grass.
Sowing of annual rye grass:
It is a throw and grow type of grass the seeds of which can be sown without any tilling hassle, scarifying or digging into the soil. There is no need to destroy any permanent ground cover that already exists while throwing the seeds. Watering the course and applying some fertilizers before or after sowing are important steps that help in establishing the grass on the course.
Maintenance of annual rye grass:
- This is a very low maintenance grass and is good for germination and establishment in the golf course. It is highly disease and pest resistant. This is the reason why it is favored as turf grass.
- Mowing the annual rye grass needs to be done regularly as its growth is vigorous.
- It also needs frequent irrigation in dry seasons and at the times when rainfall is not adequate. It requires medium levels of water while growing.
- Weeding may be required in case the sowing is not heavier and does not compete with the weeds.
- It requires more amount of fertilizers than the other regular grasses. As it is a fast growing bunchy grass, the nitrogen requirement is high. A ratio of 3-2-1 is recommended for proper growth of the lawn. There is a need for fertilizer application after every four to six weeks during the growing season.
