Let me go ahead and say my broken record statement. I have only been gardening a year and my experience with rye grass is not complete.
At the end of summer, I began to sulk a bit because I knew that in a few months the colors that brought me so much joy would be gone. By the end of fall, I was almost glad because I was burnt out. All that being said, rye grass was the greatest remedy to this. No, I did not have color like I did but the appearance of "death and desolation" was not a problem thanks to rye grass.
Between the unusually warm winter and the rye grass, it was as if winter never came. Did I have all the color? No. But I did have one color...green.....
But I have learned a lot about what to do and not do by this time. I seeded the rye grass "I want to say" October? I put about 400lbs???? Don't remember. I started with one type of seed but the majority was gulf rye grass.
All winter I looked out the windows and saw a beautiful green lawn...the rye grass was definitely worth it but I want to point out a few things.
Pros
- Winter interest.....winter, what winter? I have a green lawn.
- Rye grass I think is prettier than Bermuda ...I used Gulf Rye Grass...which I think is from Oregon ironically.
- Blocks weeds I think
- Dies in the summer? I think
- Supposedly increases water retention...Which I feel it does....I also says it helps with drainage and errosion
- Adds organic matter to the soil and decomposition...I assume this is good
- Loosens compacted soil
- Puts nitrogen back into the soil?
- I will give you the link I am referencing
- I did it because it was pretty
- It lets you know where the soil is rich vs. poor soil ...as with other annuals
- I am readdressing my peacock topiary for this spring and now I know where to plant it.
- Peacock Topiary link ..I am mimicking the Dallas arboreteum's Peacock...Click Here
Cons
- Don't plant around flower beds
- Don't let it get too high or you won't be able to walk through it
- I can't find my hoses
- I can't walk through the field
Dos
- Plant it...it's beautiful
Don'ts
- Don't let it get too high. Next time I will mow it January
- Don't think that a little doesn't go a long way
- Don't plant over areas that have bulbs
- Don't plant near flower beds.
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| My husband mowing it down |
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| The 13 year old loves daffodils...I have no idea how many I planted but I know between tulips, daffodils, iris, crocus and hyacinth it was over 300 |
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| I did not plant rye grass here and this is a massive bed of tulips and daffodils. |
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| Iris, that I can't find now...the ones I did, I marked |
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| Tulip trees |
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| The grass is very, very dense and seeding...will not need to seed this area next fall |
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| Rye grass does look lovely though |
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| Rye grass around the arches |
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| I think this weed is pretty but I think I have heard people complain about it. |
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| Indian blanketflower growing on a sandy, hot eroded slope...I didn't have to mess with it at all and it bloomed all winter |
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| Creek needed the grass...helped with erosion during spring rains. |
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| Used a weed eater to trim it down. Creekside landscape |
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| Knockouts blooming |
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| Junipers...this didn't need mowing earlier and was manageable. |
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The front lawn looked like this all winter.
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| Front lawn without rye |
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| Fountain |
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| Don't plant around crocus |
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| Or tulips and daffodils..can't find them |
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| It got into the azalea bed |
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| Have to trim around the tulips |
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| You can see what the back lawn looks like with and without rye grass |
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| Camellias |
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| This chinese snowball plant is suppose to make white hydrangea looking flowers...why is this yellow? |
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| Mums blooming |
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| This is supposed to be pink snow camellia but it doesn't look like it |
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| We were supposed to have a hard freeze last night so I put the majority of the plants in the green house. This is what I left out. I don't think it froze last night....is this the last fear of frost??? Will wait until Thursday |
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| Greenhouse is packed |
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| Zinnia seedlings coming up |
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| Gerber daisy...my husband bought these for the daughter |
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| I finally learned how to propagate bougainvilleas |
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| Dinnerplate dahlias coming up |
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| Tons of camellias |
