Has anyone done this? My backyard tends to get bare in the winter with kid traffic on the lawn and it doesn't fill in until mid May. I wanted to overseed for a lush lawn trough winter and spring. Thanks.

When do you scalp and seed usually? Thanks.

Maybe consistently isn't required, I wouldn't know. Last year I didn't mow once, so by spring it was long enough to bale. I bet you could get by with mowing every few weeks.

Never scalped the existing lawn, just overseed right on top of it. I'd have to look it up again, but I think germination requires like 50 temps at night. I usually put it out in late October or so.

For "yard of the month" look, get some golf course/football field rye from Producers Coop. Overseed in Oct and enjoy a deep green short heigth lawn. Mow once a month. Beautiful!

Secolobo said:

---

I did it two years in a row and my yard still has not recovered. I don't know if the rye drew out too many nutrients or what but I'm still trying to get the coverage I had before.
Water and topped with compost is your friend.

---

This. I used to and it really damaged the st augustine. Going on 3 years now, and still not back to where it was.

Troutslime said:

---

Don't do it. Overseeding is one of the most destructive practices going.

---

Can you expand? I'm curious to hear your take. I tried the google to no avail.

Secolobo said:

---

I did it two years in a row and my yard still has not recovered. I don't know if the rye drew out too many nutrients or what but I'm still trying to get the coverage I had before.
Water and topped with compost is your friend.

---

I did it several times and found that the St Augustine was really slow to come back in the spring and looked generally unhealthy. Also, the rye grass seemed to hand on forever in the spring. I won't be doing it again.

I'm another that's done it once. I didn't see any downside other than it really, really sucks mowing your lawn in the snow.

raidernarizona said:

---

Troutslime said:

---

Don't do it. Overseeding is one of the most destructive practices going.

---

Can you expand? I'm curious to hear your take. I tried the google to no avail.

---

If you have a St Augustine or any other stand of desirable grass, the ryegrass you introduce is now a weed. Excess weeds in any yard cause problems with more disease and insects, as well as competing against the desired grass for water and nutrients. The ryegrass also requires water, when the St Augustine doesn't which is wasteful and adds to the disease pressure on the St Augustine. The only time I will suggest overseeding, is if you are selling the house and even then I suggest a perennial rye, not an annual.

This will be my 4th year spreading ryegrass over my entire st Augustine yard. Hasn't affected our grass in the sun or shade areas. The st Augustine always fares great. Maybe we've been lucky.
We love it. Def have to mow more often, but that's what 12 yr old sons are for.
Lots of people here that know a whole lot more than me.......
But for us it's been great

SanAntoneAg said:

---

mneisch said:

---

Yes, pretty much annually. Cheapest place to get it is Tractor Supply. Their biggest sack (maybe 50 pounds?) is something around $35. Just make sure to consistently mow, or you will end up with 2 foot tall grass.

---

I read this with interest until the part about mowing in winter. Screw that, I'm hunting on winter weekends.

---

It's not mowing in the winter that is a beotch - it's mid March through April/May. Better mow about every third day or you'll be up to you knees in it.

Stay away from gulf coast rye for yard. Use it in pastures for horse/cows. Grows too thick and high for lawn yards. Try the "golf course rye". Winner!

The St Augustine in my backyard is mostly dead due to a combination of army worms, possibly fungus, and probably overdoing it with herbicide trying to take out a chamberbitter infestation. Seriously, it is mostly dirt and thatch right now, which I'm planning on raking up tonight. Is there any reason I shouldn't put down rye grass to keep the mud at bay for the winter and start fresh in the spring? I'm thinking about trying to start Bermuda from seed or sod in the spring. If sod, I may just go with zoysia. Also, is there any harm in seeding rye grass this early? I'm in Houston.

SweaterusVestus said:

---

The St Augustine in my backyard is mostly dead due to a combination of army worms, possibly fungus, and probably overdoing it with herbicide trying to take out a chamberbitter infestation. Seriously, it is mostly dirt and thatch right now, which I'm planning on raking up tonight. Is there any reason I shouldn't put down rye grass to keep the mud at bay for the winter and start fresh in the spring? I'm thinking about trying to start Bermuda from seed or sod in the spring. If sod, I may just go with zoysia. Also, is there any harm in seeding rye grass this early? I'm in Houston.

---

Why not sod it right now? Put down Zoysia if you can swing it.

That should throw you wannabe turfheads for a loop. Most golf courses do this in some form or fashion during the winter.

Troutslime said:

---

raidernarizona said:

---

Troutslime said:

---

Don't do it. Overseeding is one of the most destructive practices going.

---

Can you expand? I'm curious to hear your take. I tried the google to no avail.

---

If you have a St Augustine or any other stand of desirable grass, the ryegrass you introduce is now a weed. Excess weeds in any yard cause problems with more disease and insects, as well as competing against the desired grass for water and nutrients. The ryegrass also requires water, when the St Augustine doesn't which is wasteful and adds to the disease pressure on the St Augustine. The only time I will suggest overseeding, is if you are selling the house and even then I suggest a perennial rye, not an annual.

---

My dogs and kids destroy my St. Augustin in the winter, turn into a dust bowl. it was July befor eit all came back this year.

In Dallas. Suggestions?

Deats said:

---

Troutslime said:

---

raidernarizona said:

---

Troutslime said:

---

Don't do it. Overseeding is one of the most destructive practices going.

---

Can you expand? I'm curious to hear your take. I tried the google to no avail.

---

If you have a St Augustine or any other stand of desirable grass, the ryegrass you introduce is now a weed. Excess weeds in any yard cause problems with more disease and insects, as well as competing against the desired grass for water and nutrients. The ryegrass also requires water, when the St Augustine doesn't which is wasteful and adds to the disease pressure on the St Augustine. The only time I will suggest overseeding, is if you are selling the house and even then I suggest a perennial rye, not an annual.

---

My dogs and kids destroy my St. Augustin in the winter, turn into a dust bowl. it was July befor eit all came back this year.

In Dallas. Suggestions?

---

Yeah, have that in the side yard...
When we do a pool, it's all going synthetic.

For Augustine grass cut your lawn low but not on the lowest level. Make sure it's light green. Then take your blower(not the Mrs) and really blow out all the grass clippings not bagged, twigs and/or small rocks that may be on top of the soil. You need to blow it until it loose fresh and able to breathe easily. Then apply the proper amount of Rye per sq ft of your yard. Water daily at first. Then every 2 or 3 days for a short time(15mins). You will want to cut your yard once a week. Twice if you want it looking like a baseball outfield. Alternate your patterns horizontal with diagonal and vertical with diagonal. Remember to walk in a straight line. Lol

SweaterVest said:

---

The St Augustine in my backyard is mostly dead due to a combination of army worms, possibly fungus, and probably overdoing it with herbicide trying to take out a chamberbitter infestation. Seriously, it is mostly dirt and thatch right now, which I'm planning on raking up tonight. Is there any reason I shouldn't put down rye grass to keep the mud at bay for the winter and start fresh in the spring? I'm thinking about trying to start Bermuda from seed or sod in the spring. If sod, I may just go with zoysia. Also, is there any harm in seeding rye grass this early? I'm in Houston.

---

The rye grass seed won't germinate until the temperature of the soil drops so it would just sit on the ground and be food for the birds.

I agree with Funky. Late September / early October is the perfect time to lay sod. Kill all the old stuff first. Seems like adding rye ahead of time will jhst take up nutrients and made soil prep harder in the Spring.

I have been planting rye grass for close to 20 years. I plant in late Sept or early Oct and I have green grass from Sept through June usually and sometimes into July depending upon temperature and rainfall. I don't deal with the watering, fertilizing, mowing that comes with trying to keep St Augustine ,or in my case Bermuda/ centipede, lush and green during the hot summer months. I live in a rural subdivision and beautifully manicured lawns are not the thing we Jones about around here. I agree with those above that suggested perennial rye over annual. It won't be perennial and will die out just like annual but requires way less mowing. It also has thinner, less coarse blades and is somewhat darker green. I think I mow maybe once a month through fall-winter-spring. I swear you can sit and watch annual rye growing. Perennial rye does take a little more to get going so you have to keep it moist a week to ten days. I usually spread it after a good rain which buys me a couple days lugging a sprinkler. Here is a pic from a few days after the Feb freeze a couple years ago.