Turf Maintenance

Ryegrass Maintenance

Taking good care of your lawn often requires no more work overall than taking poor care of it.  A lawn that is properly watered, fertilized and mowed has a far fewer problems with weeds, diseases and insects.  A well kept lawn also remains lush and attractive, giving you much more enjoyment.

Water Needs

Moderate - twice weekly, deep watering (at least 1 inch per application) is sufficient - during very hot weather water more frequently - new varieties have good heat tolerance.

Mowing & Thatching

Low growth habit - mow with a reel or rotary mower at 1 - 2 1/2 inches - new varieties have good mowing qualities and are more tolerant to close mowing.  There is no thatch as grass thickens by tillers instead of stolons or rhizomes.  Never cut more than 1/3 of the total leaf off at one time.

Soil & Fertilizer Needs

Highly adaptable to a wide range of soils, from light and sandy to heavy and clayey.  Fertilizer needs are low to medium - fertilize with high nitrogen fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks in spring and fall, apply a balanced fertilizer (16-16-16) at the rate of 2lbs. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. feet in late November or early December.  Applying between 3 to 6lbs. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft annually.

Disease, Weed & Insect Control

Most new varieties of ryegrass have good resistance to disease and insects, including brown patch, leaf spot stem and crown rust.  If there is a weed problem, controls are most effective during spring and fall months - be sure that turf is in vigorous condition prior to herbicide application.  Practically all insects that damage lawns can be controlled with insecticides.

All information is based on average/normal conditions, individual sites and situations may differ.  Therefore contact your local nurseryman or county extension office if more detailed information is needed on specific maintenance questions.