Perennial perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is one of the most stable and unpretentious types of lawn grass, belonging to lawn mixtures of the Zlakovy family, which are marked as "Sport" varieties.
It takes a lot of effort to create a beautiful and neat lawn that will decorate the garden area. This task only seems easy at first glance, but in fact it does not even work out for all experienced gardeners. To begin with, you need to correctly select the grass that is suitable for the type of soil and climate of the area. This is the only way to create an attractive and even lawn.
Before planting, it is important to have an idea for what purpose the lawn will be grown. It can decorate the territory, cover vacant lots or serve as a green recreation area where children will be busy with active games.
Description of ryegrass lawn
Shoots of ryegrass are highly branchy and covered with small bright green leaves. The strong root system is characterized by rapid growth. The plant does not lose its rich green color until the beginning of the first frost. When trimmed and mowed, it is able to recover in a short time. A beautiful and elegant herbage grown in the same place can survive for more than 5 years.
Perennial ryegrass is a perennial and is highly resistant to trampling compared to other varieties of lawn grass. With all its advantages, the plant does not tolerate excessive waterlogging of the soil, therefore it often dies in the event of floods or flooding of the site. In the absence of snow cover in winter or too low temperatures, the roots of the grass freeze out.
Perennial ryegrass has several names, for example, perennial ryegrass, English or pasture ryegrass.
Under natural conditions, it can be found in Europe or North Africa. Sometimes the herb grows in certain regions of Asia.
Growing lawn grass ryegrass from seeds
Perennial ryegrass is grown from seeds that are sown directly into open ground. Before planting, you need to prepare the site. Remove weeds and large stones, dig up the soil so that it has time to settle before sowing. Shortly before sowing, it is required to additionally compact the soil and level the surface. It is not recommended to choose an area with an inclination angle of more than 30 degrees, otherwise the soil will creep.
In the fall, it is better to enrich the ryegrass cultivation area with potash and phosphorus fertilizers. In the spring, the soil needs fertilizing with nitrogen compounds.
The best time for sowing is early spring, when the air temperature will not drop below 2-4 degrees. If it is possible to constantly water the lawn, then the seeds can be sown throughout the summer. They are scattered over the prepared area and covered with a thin layer of soil.A week later, under favorable weather conditions, the first shoots appear.
With the arrival of summer, it is necessary to regularly water the lawn grass. Then it will begin to actively grow and form a lush and thick carpet. Throughout the season, it is necessary to mow the lawn several times in order to maintain its attractive appearance and inhibit the active growth of shoots.
The consumption of this pasture perennial during sowing may differ. As a rule, to fill 1 hectare of land, you will need to use about 14 kg of pure ryegrass mixture. If you use a grass mixture, then its consumption will not exceed 10 kg.
A full, dense coating forms very quickly. A lawn mower is used to mow the grass. The shoots have an excellent ability to recover, so after a while they again cover the territory with a bright green carpet.
When it comes to the mixture, the mixed lawn is certainly much nicer, but some herbs will require more maintenance than the pure ryegrass variety.
Planting material can be purchased at garden plant stores. When ryegrass is already growing on the site, you can stock up on seeds on your own. When mowing, they simply leave a small patch of grass untouched for the spikelets to ripen. After they turn yellow, the spikelets are cut and the seeds are taken out.
Pasture ryegrass does not tolerate cultivation in lowlands and in areas prone to flooding. The plant is unpretentious in the choice of soil, but will not grow in acidic soil. Fertile and loamy soil types work well for this lawn grass.
Lawn care ryegrass
Watering
The first thing to pay special attention to is watering the grass regularly. Ryegrass does not react well to drought, and excessive waterlogging of the site can provoke the death of the roots. Before sowing, it is also necessary to saturate the soil well with water. During the period of lawn growth, organic fertilizers are applied to the soil.
A haircut
Do not be afraid of frequent mowing of the grass, since it can quickly grow back and scurry to cover the garden area. The plant is resistant to pests and diseases. This lawn grass practically does not get sick.
Wintering
Frosty, snowless winters are dangerous for the cultivation of perennial ryegrass, during which a large percentage of vegetation is lost. Young seedlings may die during late spring frosts. If in the area where the grass grows, voids become noticeable, then such gaps are filled with seeds.
The most optimal growing conditions are moderate climatic parameters. The roots of the lawn grass can withstand no more than -18 degrees of frost. If the surface of the site is protected by thick snow cover, the chances that the lawn will survive are increased.
Ryegrass in landscape design
This pasture perennial is an excellent decoration as a natural gardener. It is planted in parks, gardens or sports fields.
Ryegrass blends beautifully with alfalfa and pink clover, and cereals such as meadow bluegrass, fescue or comb will complement the grass cover.
Beneficial features
Perennial ryegrass is often found in agriculture. The rapid growth of the grass begins in April. In May, the lawn can be used as grazing land. The plant produces a rich crop in the form of dense, nutritious greens that serve as food for cattle, horses or sheep. Under favorable conditions, up to 400 centners of grass mixtures are obtained from one hectare of land. The same plot area gives from 90 to 100 centners of hay.
Ryegrass has a positive effect on the structure of the soil and improves its fertile qualities, reduces the risk of erosion.
Types and varieties of ryegrass grass
Breeders from all over the world have tried to bring out a wide variety of green coatings that can decorate sports fields and recreation areas.They are sown with separate crops or use grass mixtures.
Grass mixtures marked "Sport" include the following lawn varieties: Greenfield van, Henrietta and Roadrunner. In addition to them, perennial ryegrass, bred by domestic breeders, is no less popular:
- Leningradsky - this variety is distinguished by smooth light green shoots and is grown mainly in the north-western regions;
- Phoenix - characterized by creeping shoots, grows in the north and north-west of the country;
- Cinderella - is called a frost-resistant and unpretentious high grade of lawn grass. However, after mowing, it takes a long time to update the shoots;
- Voronezh - is considered one of the most reproductive varieties.
