Annual Ryegrass Questions

[Rosalita]

I live in Northern Minnesota and just planted a couple of food plots in mixes with "Annual Ryegrass" listed in the ingredients.

For those farmers or hunters with knowledge of annual ryegrass:

1. Is it a true annual? Will it die off over winter?

2. Will it go to seed and take over my food plots the way that a lot of southern state food plotters warn about on the web? I have clover, chicory, and alfalfa planted with it and hope they come on strong next spring.

Thank you for any information you can provide.

[Dotch]

If the labelling is right (some places used to put perennial ryegrass in the bag and pass it off as annual assuming it wouldn't survive this far north) it probably will die out especially given a cold winter when snow accumulation on the sparse side. Bear in mind I'm in the southern part of the state so the potential for it to survive here is greater than as you move north in MN. It's been a while since we seeded it in the pasture here but it did not last, particularly when the grazing pressure was intense. I can't speak for deer but sheep and other ruminants love the stuff, very palatable, so they hit it pretty hard. Working with farmers who've had some places drown out or cash it in out in their alfalfa, we've had them stab in some annual rye grass for forage in those spots so it produces something other than weeds. It worked well the establishment year but didn't survive a 2nd year. Patching in some places where we lost trees a couple years ago in the yard it didn't survive either. My best guess is you should be OK and shouldn't have to worry about provided your clover, chicory and alfalfa become established well enough in the seeding year.

[Jason_Gundersen]

If you plant a winter rye it will stay green through the winter and when spring rolls around will green up quick providing some forage early in the year but will quickly die off and get overtaken by weeds as the spring fades

[LABS4ME]

1. Is it a true annual? Will it die off over winter?

2. Will it go to seed and take over my food plots the way that a lot of southern state food plotters warn about on the web? I have clover, chicory, and alfalfa planted with it and hope they come on strong next spring.

Annual ryegrass itself is an annual and will die out over the winter without the aid of snow cover. Deep snow it actually may make it two years. The problem you will be facing is the fact that it most likely WILL go to seed stage in the food plot (unless the deer absolutely hammer it) and thus begin a succession of re-seeding itself. It was used often in the lawn mixes we used to provide a cover crop and over a 1-2 year span, got out competed by the perennial grasses.

I myself would not introduce annual rye into a food plot mixture. Clover especially is not as aggressive as this grass and you are already introducing a grass specie which ultimately is what most clover patches revert to in 3-5 years without the help of us planting grass seed with it.

Plenty of seed mixes without annual ryegrass and if none are to your liking, talk to the local coop and have them sell you seed by individual species and make up your own custom blend...

Good Luck!

Ken