From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Fresno, CA

This is my first year removing lawn and amending soil. I started last weekend. I spread out annual rye grass seed 6 days ago and no germination so far. I'm guessing because of the nighttime temps (has been as low as 34F). Any suggestions on a better option for cold weather?

12/4/2009 10:35:35 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Mine took quite awhile to come up in cool rainy weather.

12/4/2009 10:52:16 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Keeping the lawn might have been your best move. Tilling it in as a cover crop and doing your fall amendments would have been your best bet. But, since you have done the rye planting, be patient.

12/4/2009 11:21:47 PM

[email protected]

Fresno might be warm enough to still have time for amending & a decent legume. When is your average first frost?

12/4/2009 11:41:35 PM

Ohio

I agree with Joe, but since you already tilled it in, put some straw down to somewhat insulate the seeds, and if you have a big sheet of clear plastic put it over the rye grass untill it germinates.

Not to sure if its to late or not to plant Rye in Fresno California,,,,, is it California growers?

I know here in Ohio its kinda late to be planting Rye pretty much.
I opted not to plant a cover crop this year, the rye I planted this last season was so thick it made it a pain in the butt to till and also break down fast enough before my pumpkin seedlings hit the dirt.

12/5/2009 4:36:20 AM

Germany

annual rye grass and winter rye are different plants ?!

12/5/2009 7:02:58 AM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

Benny, annual ryegrass is a short cool season grass that is not winter hardy and will not survive very much freezing temperatures. It is most often used as a companion crop for bluegrass lawns, as it will germinate and grow much faster and provide cover to the soil while the bluegrass is getting established. It is also used as an emergency crop to increase forage on pastures tht have suffered winter kill of legumes. I guess that in warmer climates it might make a good winter cover crop, but not here in Iowa.

Winter rye is a grain crop, similar to winter wheat. It is planted in the fall and will survive very harsh winter conditions. It starts growing again in the spring and will produce a grain crop in late July, early August in my area. When used as a cover crop, winter rye is usually tilled in the spring or killed with glyphosate. If I ever use rye for a winter cover for pumpkins, my plan would be to spray it 2 to 3 weeks before planting, mowing off the dead plants and leaving them as a mulch. They would be pretty well decomposed by fall.

12/5/2009 7:52:01 AM