Oregon-Grown Ryegrass - The All-Around Answer for the Golf Course.

Versatile, Hardy, Disease-resistant

The Cool Season Grass of Many Varied Uses

Oregon-grown ryegrasses are temperate to semi-temperate cool-season grasses which are widely used in northern regions for permanent turf and in subtropic regions to winterseed dormant warm season grasses.

Oregon Grown Ryegrasses

For show quality turf, professional groundskeepers select from modern fine-bladed "proprietary" varieties of Oregon-grown Perennial Ryegrass. All are dark green, disease-resistant, winter-hardy and fast germinating. Rights to distribution and reproduction of seed from proprietary turf-type varieties are owned by individual firms and are advertised and sold by brand name. This is also true of several proprietary annual ryegrasses which are sold by brand name.

Public Variety Ryegrasses

Three "public varieties" of ryegrass are available: Oregon-grown Common Annual Ryegrass, Oregon-grown Gulf Annual Ryegrass and Oregon-grown Linn Perennial Ryegrass. In general, the public varieties are fast-germinating, hardy and have broader, brighter green blades.

Turf-type Perennial

Oregon-grown turf-type perennial ryegrasses have shown the ability to thrive at any height ranging from 3/16 inch on putting greens or up to 1-1/2 inches for other uses.

Normally turf-type ryegrass will germinate in 7-10 days, quickly develop a strong root system, mow cleanly, tolerate limited exposure to very high temperatures, low moisture and respond rapidly to fertilization. grass for greens, tees, fairways and roughs in "Bermudagrass" country. In this use they have shown remarkable ability to hold color and quality during cold snaps and maintain turf of excellent color and quality throughout the winter. In northern regions the turf-type perennial ryegrasses are used for permanent turf on virtually every area of the golf course including fairways, roughs, tees and greens. While Linn Perennial Ryegrass has been used to winterseed dormant southern turf, it is most often found in the north where the production of turf of exceedingly high quality is not a requirement.

The Annual Ryegrasses

Oregon-grown Common Annual and Gulf Annual Ryegrass are the so-called "utility" grasses. For decades the annuals have been used to winterseed greens, fairways, tees and roughs in the southern United States.

Brighter green and broader-bladed than the turf-type perennials they will germinate in 7-10 days and can be mowed at heights ranging from 3/16 inch on greens to 3/4 inch on fairways and at the standard height of 1-1/2 inches for other uses.

Oregon-grown Annual Ryegrass is winter-hardy, thrives in a wide variety of soils and climatic conditions and is resistant to a wide variety of diseases.

Seeding Rates

Seeding rates will vary according to specific needs, density desired and personal experience and preference. In general, the following seeding rates are recommended for the various golf course greenways.

Fairways Pounds per acre Annual Ryegrass: 500 - 600 Perennial Ryegrass: 350 - 400 Winter Overseeding Bermuda Grass Greens Pounds per 1,000 square feet Annual Ryegrass: 40 - 50 Perennial Ryegrass: 30 - 40 Tees Pounds per 1,000 square feet Annual Ryegrass: 10 - 15 Perennial Ryegrass: 5 - 10 Approximate Seeds Per Square Feet @ one pound per acre Annual Ryegrass: 4.4 Perennial Ryegrass: 5.5 Approximate Seeds Per Pound Annual Ryegrass: 190,200 Perennial Ryegrass: 260,000 Germination Approximately 7-10 days (less under ideal conditions)

Fertilization Requirements

An annual application of 35 lbs. of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is recommended for all of the ryegrasses. Application is usually most effective when applied in equal parts in the spring and fall. In some regions an application of phosphorus and potash may be desirable to maintain quality. When ryegrass is close-cut and intensely managed (as on a putting green) a doubling of the rate of nitrogen is recommended. A soil pH of 6.5 is ideal for ryegrass, but it will also perform in a range of 5.5 to 8.5.