Get It Growing for 09/26/25

As we settle into fall, you’ll begin to notice warm-season turfgrasses turning tan and brown as they enter dormancy. This phenomenon is totally natural — but admittedly not the prettiest.

If you’d rather not see your yard meet this fate, you can take action now by overseeding with ryegrass, which thrives in cooler temperatures and allows you to enjoy a lush, green lawn all fall and winter long.

There are a few different kinds of ryegrass out there. Which should you buy?

“We recommend a perennial ryegrass over annual ryegrass,” said Bert Hammett, a horticulture agent with the LSU AgCenter in East Baton Rouge Parish. “It’s going to give you deeper, darker green foliage, and it tends to fill in a little bit better.”

Also make sure you buy perennial ryegrass that’s meant for lawns — not forage production for livestock.

Before spreading the ryegrass seed, mow your lawn so the grass blades are quite short. Don’t scalp it — just lower your mower blade a bit more than you usually would, Hammett said.

Next, add your seed to a broadcast (sometimes called rotary) spreader or, if your lawn is small, a handheld spreader. Hammett advises using 5 to 10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet, with 8 pounds being a sweet spot that works well for most people.

“Fill the spreader with half the amount of total seed and spread in a north-south direction, then refill with the other half and spread in an east-west direction,” Hammett said.

Splitting the seed and walking in a crisscross pattern ensures even distribution, which prevents striping and clumping.

Finally, if rain isn’t in the forecast, water your lawn thoroughly. You must keep the soil consistently moist for the seed to germinate.

Hammett said to avoid applying pre-emergence herbicides to your lawn after overseeding it. The ryegrass seed will not germinate. But, if you’re worried about cool-season weeds, know this: Ryegrass’ dense growth habit suppresses pesky weeds like annual bluegrass, henbit and chickweed.

Once your ryegrass is established, which will take about one month, maintain it by mowing a little higher than you would cut your regular turfgrass.

When spring rolls around next year, the ryegrass will still be going strong. At that time, you’ll want to mow it low so your warm-season turfgrass can come back.

Ryegrass is beautiful and adds a welcome splash of green to drab fall and winter landscapes. But overseeding isn’t something you should do every year, Hammett said. This can lead to damage and outcompete your warm-season turfgrass.

LSU AgCenter horticulturists Bert Hammett and Jason Stagg discuss the proper way to overseed ryegrass to keep your lawn looking green this fall and winter.

Bert Hammett, LSU AgCenter horticulture agent in East Baton Rouge Parish, demonstrates using a broadcast spreader to overseed a lawn with ryegrass. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

The LSU AgCenter recommends perennial ryegrass for home lawns. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

Jason Stagg, senior landscape manager at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden, pours ryegrass seed into a spreader. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

When overseeding ryegrass, spread the seed from north to south, then from east to west. This crisscross pattern helps ensure even coverage. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter