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Perennial Rye Grass

78K views 317 replies 58 participants last post by  kevinwang1219  
#1 ·
Anyone else taking the plunge this coming winter?

What are you doing in preparation?

When will you be overseeding?

What will your hoc be?
 
#5 ·
I will be giving it a go again this year. I just received a bag of Champion GC. The cultivars are different this year:

I started last year Sept 23 or so in sections:


I was way too aggressive with the verticutter. My Bermuda took a hit as I took out too much.... here is the rye October 3rd:


Amazingly fast establishment. It took off and then from late December to early February it just sat there nice and green with very little growth. Then a nice spring regrow and I loved it... Here is late March



I couldn't bring myself to nuke it and my Bermuda had a slow comeback....here is late may

Then June came.... it was hanging good until a long period of no rain. Some areas of the rye was toasted... the Bermuda need to start coming on... here is June 2nd.... bad....

The Bermuda rebounded and here is July 12....



I don't have an August.. but I'm back happy with the Bermuda in that area and I have a good mix in the north side of the house near trees.... Soon to start it all over... I got the Champion GC now cause last year it sold out and was back ordered for a couple of weeks...
I will not get as aggressive with the scalp and verticutter this year though...
 
#8 ·
Wfrobinette said:
Im thinking of it too.

I actually have some higher end annual rye that supposed to be more like prg.

https://www.barusa.com/professional-turf/products/sos-2.htm
Thanks for sending me down a rabbit hole :lol: I just spent an hour researching the high-end annual ryegrasses and I'm sold! They claim slower growth rate, more prostrate, and they persist less in the spring. The problem is where the heck do you buy the stuff?? Pickseed TXR, Axcella 2, Panterra V...those are all viable options in premium annual rye. Once again - where the heck do you buy it?
 
#9 ·
lucas287 said:
Wfrobinette said:
Im thinking of it too.

I actually have some higher end annual rye that supposed to be more like prg.

https://www.barusa.com/professional-turf/products/sos-2.htm
Thanks for sending me down a rabbit hole :lol: I just spent an hour researching the high-end annual ryegrasses and I'm sold! They claim slower growth rate, more prostrate, and they persist less in the spring. The problem is where the heck do you buy the stuff?? Pickseed TXR, Axcella 2, Panterra V...those are all viable options in premium annual rye. Once again - where the heck do you buy it?
I got a bag from Johnston seed. Advance turf has the max 220 as well. But haven't tried buying from them yet.

https://www.johnstonseed.com/product/sos-maxx/

https://www.advancedturf.com/product-category/seed/
 
#10 ·
@Steverino Awesome pics and information - thank you. What kind of setting do you plan to use on the verticutter this year? Double pass? How much does it hurt the Bermuda that late in the year?

Also you mentioned you have a mix of bermuda and ryegrass on the north side near trees. Do you have a photo of that? I have a shadier area that I'm going to seed and I'm not sure if the bermuda will crawl into it. I didn't think the rye would survive the summer heat but maybe it will if yours did?
 
#12 ·
Wfrobinette said:
lucas287 said:
Wfrobinette said:
Im thinking of it too.

I actually have some higher end annual rye that supposed to be more like prg.

https://www.barusa.com/professional-turf/products/sos-2.htm
Thanks for sending me down a rabbit hole :lol: I just spent an hour researching the high-end annual ryegrasses and I'm sold! They claim slower growth rate, more prostrate, and they persist less in the spring. The problem is where the heck do you buy the stuff?? Pickseed TXR, Axcella 2, Panterra V...those are all viable options in premium annual rye. Once again - where the heck do you buy it?
I got a bag from Johnston seed. Advance turf has the max 220 as well. But haven't tried buying from them yet.

https://www.johnstonseed.com/product/sos-maxx/

https://www.advancedturf.com/product-category/seed/
I also found this.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Barenbrug-25-lb-Winter-Wonderlawn-Grass-Seed-23065/203226781?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD28O%7C28-6_SEED%7CNA%7CPLA%7CFixed%7C71700000041058688%7C58700005154948172%7C92700046095636859&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI16yQstyU5AIVD__jBx0tAwnwEAQYASABEgIk0PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
#14 ·
Thisguy said:
I'm going to give it a go. Just ordered some Champion GQ. I already have some MSM for the spring nuke. Hopefully all goes well
I will be nuking it with Envoke (same active ingredient as Monument), after reading this article:
https://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/pdf/imported/course-care/050322.pdf

Though I live in Texas and not sure I will even need to nuke it, honestly. Better safe than sorry.
 
#16 ·
The_iHenry said:
@Steverino @Wfrobinette @Thisguy @justin144 what are you guys gonna do with your bermuda before applying the PRG?
1. Apply T-Nex plant growth regulator.
2. Scalp
3. Was initially gonna put down a little bit of sand to help level some areas, but I'm not sure the seed will germinate well in the sand? Think I will just do a small verticut instead.
4. Rake it in
 
#18 ·
The_iHenry said:
@justin144 what's your hoc? What about weed control?
After scalping the Bermuda, I'll probably try to cut the PRG around .5" or possibly a little higher depending on how it looks. I want it low. For weeds, any current weeds I have now should die as temps drop, and the winter weeds I will just spot spray (not sure with what yet) as they come up.
 
#21 ·
justin144 said:
The_iHenry said:
@justin144 what's your hoc? What about weed control?
After scalping the Bermuda, I'll probably try to cut the PRG around .5" or possibly a little higher depending on how it looks. I want it low. For weeds, any current weeds I have now should die as temps drop, and the winter weeds I will just spot spray (not sure with what yet) as they come up.
I was mowing at .25 all season. I raised my HOC to .375 today so I can scalp and verticut before the PRG. I plan on doing one more celsius app as soon as it gets here.
 
#22 ·
The_iHenry said:
I was mowing at .25 all season. I raised my HOC to .375 today so I can scalp and verticut before the PRG. I plan on doing one more celsius app as soon as it gets here.
Yeah, the Celcius label does mention it can be used on Bermuda before overseeding with Rye, but I don't know why that would be needed, because warm season weeds should die on their own. I must be missing something..
 
#23 ·
I will scalp, run the verticutter and apply Primo Maxx... not anything else I can think of at the moment. Last year it was tough keeping the water on it because I only have hoses and no irrigation. I did a section at a time... I'll be doing that again....
I used primo maxx growth regulator on the PRG (perennial rye grass) last year along with FEature iron. It was great and while I can't tell you the regulation I was getting, I liked it.
Hardest part will be pulling the trigger on nuking it next spring because I really like the look of the rye stripes. I know better where to do that and where to leave it year round now, though.
All this depends on me getting the yard cleaned up from a fence install. I've got debris and rocks to clean up... I'm afraid to even cut! All this with kids, work and hunting season is coming on, too!
 
#24 ·
lucas287 said:
Thanks @Wfrobinette for the links! I think I'll just use the Ewings Eagle prg. Good price and easy to just pick up!
I here ya. This was expensive but should have the need for any chems to knock it out.
 
#26 ·
I think that is more typical up north than a reel mow. I should be fine as long as you wait for the first cut. It was painful my first cut last year and I believe I used my rotary (walk behind). I do remember when I used a reel it was pulling some out at the beginning of establishment. I think the vacume of the rotary was better at the long leggy first cut....