Often times in the more and more distant past, I used to worry about what work I would have for my crew and myself during the dormant grass season. For some lawn care companies, right around October 15th here in Columbia, South Carolina signals the start of either a long down time or a start of something new to do other than cut grass. What I do on many accounts to the delight of my customers is sow a winter rye grass lawn from seed.
To grow a winter rye grass lawn, you must first determine if it is appropriate to overseed the area that you have in mind. Overseeding St. Augustine or Centipede, for instance, with annual or perennial rye grass is a no-no in my book...unless you plan on renovating that area altogether in the spring when the rye is done.
Annual rye grass, when sown around the end of September will last until about May under some conditions. Perennial will last a bit longer, but is more of a permanent lawn. In this case, I'm speaking of overseeding with annual where you plan on letting your warm season grass come back in the coming spring.
At any rate, bermuda or bahia are the ideal warm season grasses to be overseeding. Another ideal area is a bare, spindly growth yard that is dry, fallow, and void of any attractive growth in the warm season. These ugly areas under trees, on slopes, etc can be absolutely beautiful and the envy of your neighbors if properly sown with rye grass in the fall.
If you plan on selling your home starting in the fall, spreading rye grass may be a great investment because it could make your house much more appealing.
Prepare the area by mowing the warm season grass really close. After a good close mow, bagging or collecting the clippings, make sure to rake away as much debris as you possibly can. Your goal is good seed to soil contact.
Once clear, spread your seed! Water the grass until it sprouts, then cut back on the watering. Once it sprouts, fertilize it. It grows really fast so plan on cutting it much more frequently.
Busy Bee Lawn Care is known for great rye grass lawns in the cool season. Look us up or give us a call today for a quote!
