Create A Lush And Green Lawn In No Time By Planting This Grass Seed

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When it comes to seeding your lawn, there is no shortage of turf grass varieties to choose from. In addition to a myriad of other factors that should be considered when choosing the right grass for your yard, timeliness often takes priority. After all, no one wants to look at a barren patch of dirt instead of a lush green yard. If you are looking to establish your lawn or fix bare spots quickly, perennial ryegrass, which is known for the ability to establish itself quickly, is likely the best variety for you.

While old lawn care myths tend to lump all grass seeds as the same, that is hardly true. Many popular grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, can take 14 to 30 days to sprout. Perennial ryegrass usually gets growing in 5 to 10 days. Pre-germinating your grass seeds can further expedite the time it takes for your new lawn to take root. Because it sprouts, grows quickly, and spreads to form a densely covered lawn, perennial ryegrass is also a good choice when it's time to overseed your lawn or repair bare spots in your yard.

Perennial ryegrass is a cool-weather grass. It is best suited for USDA zones 3 to 8. However, although it dies back in high temperatures, it is often used in the Southern United States to quickly create a temporary lawn and shade the soil while slower growing varieties get established. For that same reason, it is often commonly combined with other types of grass seeds when seeding. Perennial ryegrass is also great for adding color to lawns over winter when some warm weather grasses begin to brown.

Perennial ryegrass is best planted in fall or spring. However, it can be used for bare spot repair or to overseed throughout the year. To prepare a lawn for seeding, rototill to a depth of 6 inches. Then, use a spreader such as the Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard DLX to distribute the seed at a rate of 3 to 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Use a lawn rake or push broom to mesh the seed into the soil. If you are repairing bare spots or seeding a small area, you can loosen the soil with a spade or hand tiller, then spread the seed by hand or with a handheld spreader.

Once you have the seed in the ground, moisture is the key to quick and proper germination. It is recommended to lightly water up to three times daily so the top half-inch of soil retains moisture. Be sure not to water with too much pressure or saturate the area to the point of flooding, which can wash away the seeds. Once the seeds germinate, you can reduce the frequency of waterings while increasing the amount of water distributed during each session. When the grass is an inch tall, your normal once or twice per week watering sessions will suffice, so long as your lawn receives around an inch of water each week.

Maintaining a perennial ryegrass lawn is relatively simple. When mowing, just follow the one-third rule and keep the grass at 2 to 3 inches in height. Most perennial ryegrass lawns will require an application of nitrogen — up to 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet — annually. This cool weather grass typically doesn't require much in the way of dethatching. However, if you notice fungus developing on your lawn, dethatching can help.