Lolium Perenne: German ryegrass

The German ryegrass (Lolium Perenne) is a sweet grass and is therefore often used as pasture grass. It is also often found in seed mixes for meadows or race. Its advantages lie in its easy maintenance, surefootedness and rapid growth. There are over 200 varieties on the market, but most of them are only important in agriculture. Information about the ryegrass and some selected varieties can be found here.

properties

Synonyms: Perennial ryegrass, English ryegrass, English ryegrass, perennial lole, spelled husk, perennial hole
Growth habit: forms clumps
Blossom: inconspicuous, small spikelets
Flowering time: May-August, depending on the weather also October
Size: without cut 20-60 cm high
Use: Agriculture, play or sports lawn
Winter hardiness: grows persistently, can freeze back in winter

Location

The German ryegrass likes nutrient-rich, heavy soils. It responds well to fertilization and grows very well with high nitrogen fertilization. It is also compatible with phosphates. It has shallow roots, so the water supply must be ensured in dry summers, but otherwise the water requirement is not very high. Waterlogging on loamy soils can impair winter hardiness or damage the roots. It stays smaller in the shade, it is more suitable for sunny places.

Use in the garden

Since the ryegrass is very robust, it can be easily grown in race use that is often committed. It can be cut and is therefore even more resistant. In addition, a cut promotes branching and the sward becomes denser. In dry and hot weather it remains green, so it is also suitable for a location where not so much precipitation is to be expected. It is not always evergreen, especially not in harsh areas. So it is only suitable to a limited extent for lawns that should look good-looking and well-groomed even in the cold season. If individual plants freeze to death in winter, there are gaps in the lawn, but these are quickly closed again as soon as the grass sprouts in spring.

Note: The German ryegrass can cause allergies (hay fever). Flowering should then be avoided at all costs.

Use in agriculture

• Pasture grass
• Hay extraction
• silage
• Undersown

sowing

Like other grasses, the German ryegrass is a light germ. Before sowing, the soil is well prepared:

• Dig up the area
• Pull weeds out of the ground
• Incorporate fertilizer
• Pick up stones and clods of earth or remove them with a rake
• Smooth the surface

Then the seeds are scattered thinly. It should be noted that it should be a seed mixture that does not consist entirely of Lolium Perenne. Mixtures with other grasses are cheaper. This makes the subsequent maintenance of the lawn easier, as the ryegrass tends to become matted due to its strong clumps.

After sowing, the area is processed with a lawn roller so that the seeds are well pressed. Then the area must be watered. Germination can take several weeks, but the soil should not become too dry.

Note: In order for the new lawn to be successful, it is best to start in spring, which is still damp in winter. This can prevent the seeds from drying out.

care

In the subsequent care of the German ryegrass, no more needs to be considered than with other lawn seeds. You should cut and fertilize it regularly. Only water if the drought persists. In order to increase the resistance to cold, fertilization should no longer be carried out in autumn.

Since the ryegrass is very competitive, it can also prevail against weeds. However, it can also push back weaker grasses.

Multiplication

The lawn is formed by root runners, which form daughter plants. In addition, the plant spreads by self-sowing, provided that solid seeds are used and the grass is not pruned.

Diseases or pests

Special pests play an insignificant role in the English ryegrass. At most, the lawn can be attacked by “pests” in general, such as earthworms, voles or moles.

Fungal diseases are possible diseases, for example the rust fungus that causes stains on the leaves. It prefers to thrive in damp locations, so the lawn should be kept as dry as possible.

Classification of grades

Since the German ryegrass is of great economic importance for agriculture, it is grouped according to aspects that are important for cultivation. The main subdivision is made into early, medium-early and late cultivars, whereby this refers to the ear emergence, i.e. the formation of flowers.

fitness

Some cultivars of the German ryegrass are marked with the note "moor suitability". This means that they can withstand both wetness and cold better and are suitable in locations that are damp or prone to frost.

Early varieties

They are mainly used in agriculture because they emerge and grow quickly and have high yields. They are only used for a few years, i.e. less on permanent grassland. They can strongly displace other grasses, but they do not get as old as late cultivars. Early ryegrass varieties are cut 1 to 3 times a year.

• Artesia: good resistance to rust, persistent
• Giant: medium resistance, medium endurance
• Ivana: good for grassland mixtures, good grain density, but more susceptible to rust

Medium late varieties

This ryegrass blooms later and develops more slowly overall. However, this creates more leaf mass. These cultivars are insensitive to browsing and regenerate quickly. Because of their high productivity, mid-late ryegrass varieties are often used on permanent pastures.

• Barcampo: suitability for bog, less good scarring, good resistance to rust
• Indicus: suitability for bog, good scarring and persistence, medium resistance
• Tribal: suitability for bog, less pronounced grain density, good resistance

Late varieties

Characteristics of these cultivars are longevity and crush resistance. Therefore, they are particularly suitable for use as lawns in the garden. The hoards remain rather low and form short runners, creating a dense sward. However, growth is slower than the early ryegrass varieties.

• Albion: good endurance and resistance, medium grain density
• Barpasto: suitable for bog, good resistance and density of grains
• Bokser: good for sports turf, medium to dark green, fine, narrow leaves
• Lorraine: resilient, quick regeneration, cut compatible
• Pronto: tolerant of cold and salt in the soil, dark green leaves

Intersections

Perennial ryegrass can interbreed with Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), another species of sweet grass. If such varieties are used, it must be ensured that they have different, albeit similar, properties than pure cultivars. They grow taller than German ryegrass, but are not as long-lived.

Another crossbreeding can be observed in the natural location. The German ryegrass can form hybrids with the meadow fescue. The bastard from this cross is called Common Fescue Lolch. Or a word creation from fescue and ryegrass is used: Schweidel.