Annual Ryegrass, Grasses

Lolium multiflorum Annual Ryegrass Seed

Fast germination establishes protective cover remarkably quickly
Fibrous roots hold soil and build organic matter
Cool-weather growth fits spring and fall cover-crop windows
Terminate before seed formation to prevent unwanted reseeding

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Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Lolium multiflorum

Days to maturity

50 Days

Sun

Full Sun

About Lolium multiflorum, Annual Ryegrass Seed, Annual Ryegrass Seed

The Annual Ryegrass is a very fast growing grass that makes for a great cover crop as its fibrous roots prevent soil erosion and build organic matter! Plant this grass early fall to late fall, or early to mid-spring and can germinate in cool weather. The Annual Ryegrass established protective cover quickly and over seeds well at higher rates. This grass can scavenge as much as 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre. When used as a spring cover crop, this Annual Ryegrass should be killed before reaching seed formation stage.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

Days to Germination

5–10 days

Row Spacing

Broadcast or Drill

Plant profile

Life Cycle

Annual

Plant Height

48 inches

Growth Habits

Clumping, Upright

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

14,188

Seed Type

Open Pollinated

Before Planting

Correct drainage, pH, and phosphorus or potassium deficiencies before seeding annual ryegrass. Remove perennial weeds, smooth the area, and firm loose soil so seed remains shallow and has reliable soil contact.

Planting

Broadcast or drill annual ryegrass in late summer to early fall, allowing at least 4–6 weeks before a hard freeze. Place seed about 1/4–1/2 inch deep and firm the soil for good contact. Use the seeding rate supplied for lawns, forage, or cover cropping; stands are not thinned after emergence.

Watering

Maintain surface moisture during germination, then irrigate less often and more deeply. Established turf or forage needs water during extended drought, but saturated soils limit roots and increase crown disease.

Fertilizer

Use a soil test and the stand’s purpose to set fertility. Nitrogen promotes growth but should be split across active periods; avoid heavy applications before drought, dormancy, or freezing weather.

Harvesting

For forage, graze or mow annual ryegrass during vegetative growth through early heading, before stems become coarse. As a cover crop, terminate at boot to early-heading stage before viable seed develops. Harvest seed only after heads turn tan and dry, then dry further before storage.

Tips

Mow before seed heads emerge if annual ryegrass is a cover crop or temporary lawn. Terminate it promptly before seed set where volunteers are unwanted, and account for its residue before planting the next crop.

AVG. Seeding Rate

½–1 lb./1,000 sq.ft.; 15–30 lb./acre.

Pests & Diseases

Crown rust, gray leaf spot, and leaf spot or melting-out diseases can weaken annual ryegrass. Yellow flecks, orange pustules, gray-centered lesions, or thinning crowns are warning signs. Use resistant varieties when available, maintain balanced fertility, avoid excessive nitrogen and prolonged leaf wetness, mow appropriately, and remove or terminate severely diseased residue.

Armyworms clip ryegrass seedlings and leaves, cereal aphids gather within the canopy, and billbugs or cutworms may thin new stands. Inspect field edges and sheltered areas first. Maintain balanced fertility, avoid unnecessary insecticides that remove aphid predators, and mow before armyworms disperse into neighboring crops.