Over seed Bermuda in annual Rye Grass?

JamesTX – posted 20 May 2004 21:22

Hi everyone!

I moved into a new house (Dallas, Texas) in late November and planted annual ryegrass for the winter. The rye came up great and I was hoping to just broadcast bermuda seed this spring and have a great yard of grass. Well it’s been a month or so now since I overseeded with the bermuda seed and the bermuda isn’t coming up like I had hoped. I did over kill and put out a boat load of seed (20lbs!). Does it just need some more time and warm weather or is this not going to work. The ryegrass grew like crazy and I mowed it more times than I liked. I never bagged it so I’m thinking the bermuda seed has lots of “mulch” on top of it. Is this gonna work?

Thanks,James P

cohiba – posted 21 May 2004 05:31

When overseeding the most important aspect is seed-to-soil contact. Without it the seed will lay there. That may be whats happening.

We usually tie seeding in with dethatching, verticutting, or aerating.

Good Luck……

ted – posted 21 May 2004 13:46

when did you seed it? how much area was for the 20 pounds- doesn’t sound like a lot of seed. i’m in texas, just down the road. bermuda seed is slow to germinate- has to have the right temps. the rye grass can literally sprout up in about a week given the right conditions.

JamesTX – posted 22 May 2004 13:42

Thanks for the replies!

I actually live in Little Elm. The contracter sodded the front yard so it was 20lbs of seed for my back yard only. Maybe 1500 sq.ft, just a guess. Probably not even that big.

The rye was put out in December but didn’t really come up that well until January. I seeded the bermuda 2 different times. Just a 5lb bag in early spring and another 15lbs a month or six weeks ago. It is coming up in certain places just nothing like I expected (compared to the rye).

I hadn’t really poured the water too it yet until the temperatures started creeping up into the high 80’s. I was wanting the rye to start drying out first. That probably is part of the problem. Now the rye is drying up so fast I’m scared I won’t have a yard any more! I’m doing my best now to keep it moist.