Qualities

Perennial ryegrass is a very competitive cool-season grass, best adapted to coastal regions that have moderate temperatures throughout the year. It prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Perennial ryegrass has the highest wear-tolerance of any cool-season grass and can tolerate high traffic. It is often used around homes, schools, and parks. Because it germinates quickly, it is often used for overseeding winter-dormant bermudagrass lawns. Its rapid emergence helps to suppress weeds. For a more traffic and disease-resistant turf, it is often mixed with Kentucky bluegrass.

Identifying tips

A fine-textured, rich green grass with the leaf folded in the bud. Leaf margins are parallel, the back of the leaf is shiny, and the tips of the leaf blades are tapered. The collar usually has outgrowths (auricles) that clasp the stem. Ryegrass may form clumps where marginally adapted. There are no rhizomes or stolons. Perennial ryegrass has a bunchgrass-type growth habit.

Maintenance

Moderate to high maintenance. It has a moderately low tolerance for heat, shade, and drought and a high tolerance for cold temperatures.

Planting and management tips for perennial ryegrass

Mowing

Mow at 1.5 - 2.5 inches.
If used to overseed warm-season grasses, gradually reduce the height of the ryegrass in the spring by mowing it more closely and more often to encourage growth of warm-season grasses as they come out of dormancy.

Fertilizing

Fertilize using 4 lbs. nitrogen/1000 sq. ft. per year during the period of active growth (February - June; October - December).

Planting

Seed in the fall or use sod.
Seed at 6 - 9 lbs. seed/1000 sq. ft.
Ryegrass seed germinates quickly: 3 - 5 days in moderate temperatures.
A rapid turf cover is established within 4 - 8 weeks.

Irrigation

Water frequently.
Water to a depth of 6 - 12 inches.
If used to overseed warm-season grasses, water deeply and less often in the spring to encourage the growth of warm-season grasses coming out of dormancy.

Special problems

May suppress germination and seedling growth of other grasses in the mixture (allelopathy)
Drought sensitive
If seeded alone, becomes "stemy" after a couple of years
Can become weedy when used to overseed warm-season grasses .