On Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:39:46 -0500, "James" no
wrote:

I have a vacation cabin in the mountains of NC, at 4200 feet elevation.

In early June, I planted annual ryegrass, in a partly shaded area. It came
up in about 15-20 days, and was *real* thick and green.

We then left the mountain and returned in early August. The ryegrass was
all gone !!

Why didn't the grass last all summer? Did it have enough sunlight to
germinate, but then die back because of too much shade ?

There was a drought of several weeks in early July, but that was after the
seed had germinated, and looked good.

What is the most likely reason the ryegrass was strong and thick in early
June, but totally gone by early August ?

Critter salad.

James wrote:
Hmmmmmmmmmm... you think a lot of common critters eat ryegrass ? What type
of critters might do this ?

I had not thought of this, but it is food for thought...


James




I'm not disagreeing with Brooklyn but it could also be due to
the heat and drought.

gloria p

No, sorry, critters aren't the real issue - annual rye grass is a cool
weather grass that dies as soon as it has gone to seed. It may come
back from seed next year, depending on water, etc. I live in NC, and
can tell you that you have a few options -
1) bermuda grass - it is completely dormant in the winter, and green
once it warms up to ~50 F in the spring. It's aggresive and will
spread everywhere there is enough light.
2) fescue - it needs a fair amount of water in the heat of the summer,
but thrives in spring and fall. It needs to be frequently cut at 2.5
- 3" to thrive and look its best.
3)zoysia - it does not need anywhere near as much mowing as the other
two, but also spreads everywhere.


On Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:52:18 -0500, "James" no
wrote:

Hmmmmmmmmmm... you think a lot of common critters eat ryegrass ? What type
of critters might do this ?

I had not thought of this, but it is food for thought...


James

I have a vacation cabin in the mountains of NC, at 4200 feet elevation.

In early June, I planted annual ryegrass, in a partly shaded area. It came
up in about 15-20 days, and was *real* thick and green.

We then left the mountain and returned in early August. The ryegrass was
all gone !!

Why didn't the grass last all summer? Did it have enough sunlight to
germinate, but then die back because of too much shade ?

There was a drought of several weeks in early July, but that was after the
seed had germinated, and looked good.

What is the most likely reason the ryegrass was strong and thick in early
June, but totally gone by early August ?

Thanks !!

James

Hmmmmmmmmmm... you think a lot of common critters eat ryegrass ? What type
of critters might do this ?

I had not thought of this, but it is food for thought...


James

"James" no wrote in message
net...

Fran, you don't mean to imply that it is "normal" for annual rye grass to
grow for three weeks and then die ?? I doubt many folks would use it if
this were normal....

That is what annual ryegrass does.

It sounds like you are confusing annual ryegrass with perennial ryegrass.

FarmI wrote:
"James" no wrote in message
net...

Fran, you don't mean to imply that it is "normal" for annual rye
grass to grow for three weeks and then die ?? I doubt many folks
would use it if this were normal....

That is what annual ryegrass does.

It sounds like you are confusing annual ryegrass with perennial
ryegrass.

James, Fran actually knows this stuff.

David

David Hare-Scott wrote:
FarmI wrote:
"James" no wrote in message
net...

Fran, you don't mean to imply that it is "normal" for annual rye
grass to grow for three weeks and then die ?? I doubt many folks
would use it if this were normal....

That is what annual ryegrass does.

It sounds like you are confusing annual ryegrass with perennial
ryegrass.

James, Fran actually knows this stuff.

David

I just realized there are two Frans one explicit the other cloaked. The
message is the same.

D

On Aug 19, 9:39*pm, "James" no wrote:
I have a vacation cabin in the mountains of NC, at 4200 feet elevation.

In early June, I planted annual ryegrass, in a partly shaded area. *It came
up in about *15-20 days, and was **real* *thick and green.

We then left the mountain and returned in early August. *The ryegrass was
all gone !!

Why didn't the grass last all summer? * Did it have enough sunlight to
germinate, but then die back because of too much shade ?

There was a drought of several weeks in early July, but that was after the
seed had germinated, and looked good.

What is the most likely reason the ryegrass was strong and thick in early
June, but totally gone by early August ?

Thanks !!

James

Deer will eat grass but it would not be a favorite food and in the
summer, the whole world is one big salad bar to them. I, too, doubt
that critters are your problem.

On Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:12:32 -0700 (PDT), Frank
wrote:

On Aug 19, 9:39*pm, "James" no wrote:
I have a vacation cabin in the mountains of NC, at 4200 feet elevation.

In early June, I planted annual ryegrass, in a partly shaded area. *It came
up in about *15-20 days, and was **real* *thick and green.

We then left the mountain and returned in early August. *The ryegrass was
all gone !!

Why didn't the grass last all summer? * Did it have enough sunlight to
germinate, but then die back because of too much shade ?

There was a drought of several weeks in early July, but that was after the
seed had germinated, and looked good.

What is the most likely reason the ryegrass was strong and thick in early
June, but totally gone by early August ?

Thanks !!

James

Deer will eat grass but it would not be a favorite food and in the
summer, the whole world is one big salad bar to them. I, too, doubt
that critters are your problem.

If not grass what do you think is the main diet of deer during summer,
and rye grass is one of their favorites... rabbits love it too, so do
woodchucks, and of course Canada geese. Dairy farmers plant rye grass
as a forage crop. Foraging critters will eat most anything green but
rye grass is a favorite. In early August in South Carolina it
wouldn't have gotten cold enough to kill off annual rye. And I know
from living most of my life on Long Island that rye grass handles
drought very well. Unless yoose can prove with eyeball documentation
that the rye grass disappeared otherwise I'm sticking to critters. The
deer near the cabin likely wouldn't have eaten the grass while someone
was living there but be certain they were just waiting for an
opportunity... and then yoose left... that grass patch probably lasted
maybe three days.

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
David Hare-Scott wrote:
FarmI wrote:
"James" no wrote in message
net...

Fran, you don't mean to imply that it is "normal" for annual rye
grass to grow for three weeks and then die ?? I doubt many folks
would use it if this were normal....

That is what annual ryegrass does.

It sounds like you are confusing annual ryegrass with perennial
ryegrass.

James, Fran actually knows this stuff.

David

I just realized there are two Frans one explicit the other cloaked. The
message is the same.

Well I'm not really trying to be 'cloaked' as lots of people know my name is
Fran :-)). Only one ng I post to has the sort of environment where
posters are expected to put a sig on their posts - sadly I usually forget to
do it.

wrote in message

I usually use annual rye, often called winter rye here, as a cover
crop. If I get it in early enough - late September say, I will usually
have a lovely mini field of rye over the winter.

When you say 'cover crop' do you mean that you use it as a green manure?
It's good for green manure.

FarmI wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
David Hare-Scott wrote:
FarmI wrote:
"James" no wrote in message
net...

Fran, you don't mean to imply that it is "normal" for annual rye
grass to grow for three weeks and then die ?? I doubt many folks
would use it if this were normal....

That is what annual ryegrass does.

It sounds like you are confusing annual ryegrass with perennial
ryegrass.

James, Fran actually knows this stuff.

David

I just realized there are two Frans one explicit the other cloaked.
The message is the same.

Well I'm not really trying to be 'cloaked' as lots of people know my
name is Fran :-)). Only one ng I post to has the sort of
environment where posters are expected to put a sig on their posts -
sadly I usually forget to do it.

You only post to one "serious" NG? Which is that? What is this then?

D

On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:29:12 +1000, "David Hare-Scott"
wrote:

FarmI wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
David Hare-Scott wrote:
FarmI wrote:
"James" no wrote in message
net...

Fran, you don't mean to imply that it is "normal" for annual rye
grass to grow for three weeks and then die ?? I doubt many folks
would use it if this were normal....

That is what annual ryegrass does.

It sounds like you are confusing annual ryegrass with perennial
ryegrass.

James, Fran actually knows this stuff.

David

I just realized there are two Frans one explicit the other cloaked.
The message is the same.

Well I'm not really trying to be 'cloaked' as lots of people know my
name is Fran :-)). Only one ng I post to has the sort of
environment where posters are expected to put a sig on their posts -
sadly I usually forget to do it.

You only post to one "serious" NG? Which is that? What is this then?

rec.chopped.liver

On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:19:23 +1000, "FarmI" ask@itshall be given
wrote:

wrote in message

I usually use annual rye, often called winter rye here, as a cover
crop. If I get it in early enough - late September say, I will usually
have a lovely mini field of rye over the winter.

When you say 'cover crop' do you mean that you use it as a green manure?
It's good for green manure.

Yes, that's what i mean. And it's pretty, too!