Normal winter temperatures in Pennsylvania are mild enough to allow ryegrass seeding in either the spring (April or May) or late summer (before August 15 in northern Pennsylvania and before August 25 in southern Pennsylvania).
Ryegrass may be seeded alone; however, to improve hay yields when growing ryegrass, a mixture with a legume is recommended. Legumes such as alfalfa or white clover in the mixture will also provide some nitrogen to the ryegrass and can improve the quality of forage produced.
Ryegrass seedings have been successful in both clean, tilled seedbeds and in existing grass sods. However, to reduce competition when seeding by no-till methods, the existing grass sod should be mowed or grazed very short, or desiccated with a chemical prior to seeding.
Ryegrass should be band seeded 0.25 to 0.5 inch deep. If the seedbed is dry and press wheels are not used, cultipack before and after seeding for additional stand insurance. Ryegrass seeding rates depend on the intended use and the condition of seedbeds.
When seeding into a well prepared seedbed, a rate of 15 to 20 lb per acre is recommended. When seeding ryegrass with a compatible or adapted legume (alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, and white or red clover), a rate of 4 to 8 lb per acre is recommended.
In a USDA-ARS Pasture Research Laboratory study in Pennsylvania, alfalfa yield was not effected by ryegrass seeding rate (6 to 18 lb per acre) in late-summer seedings of alfalfa-ryegrass mixtures. In the same study, alfalfa became the dominant species within one year, even when seeding rates heavily favored ryegrass establishment.
Harvest Management:
Seeding-year harvest management of perennial ryegrass is dependent on the time and method of seeding, fertility, growing conditions, and other factors which effect rate of establishment. However, with favorable establishment and growing conditions, one or more harvests are possible in the seeding year.
First-time harvest or grazing on newly established ryegrass should be delayed until the plants are 10 to 12 inches tall. When grown as a hay crop, ryegrass yields may be relatively low unless considerable time is allowed for forage accumulation before the fall harvest (Table 2).
Ryegrass plants contain less dry matter than other cool season grass plants and, therefore, require a longer curing time before baling. In addition, ryegrass plants are more difficult to mow with a sickle bar mower.
Established ryegrass pastures can be initially grazed when spring growth reaches 2 to 3 inches in height and the grazing does not cause excessive pasture damage due to wet soil conditions. Established ryegrass may be continuously grazed, but yield and plant persistence are compromised if it is continually grazed below 1.5 inches in height.
Greater yields are possible when ryegrass is rotationally grazed. Allowing 7 to 10 inches of regrowth between grazings will benefit grass yield as well as persistence. Animals should be removed from pastures when the ryegrass stubble is from 1.5 to 2 inches in height.
When grazed, perennial ryegrass-alfalfa mixtures are superior to orchardgrass-alfalfa mixtures in their production of crude protein, digestible dry matter, and in alfalfa persistence.
Information Sourced From:
