Perennial and annual ryegrasses are excellent for winter lawns in the south and as cover crops all over the country. These grasses not only look nice, but they contribute to healthy lawns and gardens year-round. Ryegrass requires lots of watering and a very specific fertilization schedule to thrive and finding the best fertilizer for the job can be a difficult task. 

It seems like fertilizers are a dime a dozen. You have so many to choose from, and they all seem the same. Should you choose an organic or synthetic option? What do those numbers mean on the package? How much nitrogen do you need? We’ll help answer all of these questions plus give you our 8 best fertilizers for ryegrass to help ease your mind. 

At a Glance – Our Top Picks.

Fertilizer Reviews

Ferti-lome New Lawn Starter Fertilizer

Ferti-lome’s new lawn starter fertilizer is an excellent option if you’re looking to fertilize while you plant or immediately after. Ferti-lome designed this fertilizer to help your rye seed develop roots before its major growth period begins. 

This fertilizer has more phosphorus than nitrogen or potassium, which will help your ryegrass to establish a root system right away. It has a good amount of nitrogen as well, which can benefit the stability of your rye as it grows. 

What We Like

• Can apply it with seed or immediately after
• High phosphorus levels without giving up nitrogen or potassium
• No known carcinogens
• Works as hard as more expensive options

Specs

• N-P-K: 9-13-7
• Coverage: 10lbs covers 2500sq.ft. 
• Type: Synthetic

Verdict

We like this fertilizer for rye because it has the right amount of nutrients to get roots started, but can also help keep grass growing after the first cutting. This is a less expensive synthetic option that gets excellent customer feedback. 

Rating: 5/5

Ferti-lome Green Maker Premium Lawn Food

Ferti-lome Green Maker is an alkaline soil fertilizer that goes beyond helping rye develop properly to correct alkalinity and create greener lawns. This product works well in warm and cool seasons, which makes it ideal for rye no matter where you’re planting it. It also has high nitrogen levels, which ryegrass needs to survive and thrive. 

What We Like

• Easy to apply
• Works in warm and cool climates
• Corrects alkalinity 

Specs

• N-P-K: 18-0-6
• Coverage: 10lbs covers 3,600sq.ft.
• Type: Synthetic

Verdict

This is an excellent fertilizer once you have established your rye. It is especially nice for alkaline soil. If your soil is acidic, this may not be the best option for you, so make sure to test your soil before using this product. 

Rating: 4/5

Scott’s Turf Builder Starter Fertilizer

Scott’s is a popular brand in the fertilizer and lawn care world, and with good reason. Scott’s Turf Builder Starter Fertilizer is an excellent source of nutrients to start your grass out well and help to keep it going strong all season. Its high nitrogen and phosphorus levels help to build roots and blades quickly and then keep them fed. 

What We Like

• High nitrogen and phosphorus levels
• Good for established and newly seeded lawns
• Helps to prevent weeds

Specs

• N-P-K: 24-25-4
• Coverage: 15lbs covers 5000sq.ft.
• Type: Synthetic

Verdict

If you’d like to purchase only one product to fertilizer your ryegrass from the first planting through the end of the season, then this might be the product for you. Scott’s is a well-established brand that you can trust. This product is more expensive than some others on our list, but it might be worth it to buy one fertilizer for the season. 

Vigoro Lawn Fertilizer

With a high level of nitrogen, 50% of which is slow-release, Vigoro Lawn Fertilizer is a great option for winter rye maintenance. This fertilizer may not be the best option for starting your seed since it contains no phosphorus, but it will help to keep your ryegrass going once it’s established. 

What We Like

• High levels of nitrogen
• Slow-release nitrogen included for lasting quality
• Inexpensive option

Specs

• N-P-K: 29-0-4
• Coverage: 14lbs covers 5000sq.ft.
• Type: Synthetic

Verdict

Vigoro is an excellent value option for already established ryegrass. It will not work as well to establish new seed, but its high nitrogen content helps to keep grass looking greener longer. 

Rating: 4/5

Down to Earth Blood Meal 12-0-0

Many horticulturists recommend a 12-0-0 product for starting ryegrass the right way from seed. Down to Earth’s Blood Meal 12-0-0 does this very well. It’s an organic fertilizer that you can use on USDA Organic Certified land, which means you won’t have to worry about unwanted carcinogens or chemicals of any kind when you utilize this as a starter fertilizer. 

What We Like

• USDA Organic approved
• Packaging and product are earth-friendly
• Works for new and established plantings

Specs

• N-P-K: 12-0-0
• Coverage: 10lbs covers 1000sq.ft. 
• Type: Organic

Verdict

Organic fertilizers are great options for ryegrass fertilization, and Down to Earth’s Blood Meal 12-0-0 is a perfect example. The nitrogen-rich fertilizer helps to maintain established grass for long periods. Although this product doesn’t claim any phosphorus or potassium exists within, its natural compounds will help to build these things in the soil. 

Rating: 4/5

Milogranite 0636 Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer

Milogranite’s 0636 Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer is a great option for perennial ryegrass or an already established annual ryegrass. This is not the fertilizer for you if you’re looking for something to help get the roots down, but it works very well to build quality ryegrass or keep grass looking green and healthy. 

What We Like

• Includes iron to make the grass greener
• Pet safe
• Apply anytime, all year

Specs

• N-P-K: 16-4-8
• Coverage: 36lbs covers 2500sq.ft.
• Type: Organic

Verdict

Milogranite 0636 is a great option to build thicker blades and greener grass because of its rich nitrogen base and iron content. This isn’t your best bet for establishing roots but works well after the first cutting of your annual grass or for a way to bring out the beauty of your perennial rye. 

Rating: 3.5/5

Peaceful Valley Organic Micro Hume

Peaceful Valley’s Organic Micro Hume isn’t a traditional fertilizer. It has no N-P-K on the label or its information sheet. Its primary purpose is to draw up nutrients and increase nutrient intake, which is great for both new and established ryegrass. It made our list because it is compatible with drip irrigation and fertigation systems, and most items we’ve listed are not.

What We Like

• A little goes a long way 
• Increases nutrient and micronutrient intake
• Combines well with other fertilizers or trace minerals

Specs

• N-P-K: N/A
• Coverage: 2-4 cups diluted with water covers 1000sq.ft.
• Type: Organic

Verdict

We like this non-traditional fertilizer option because it’s one of the best at generating nutrient intake, and a little bit goes a long way. Organic Micro Hume is available in a 2lb tub that will likely last you all season. This fertilizer will help to keep your lawn healthy by utilizing the nutrients already in your soil. 

Rating: 3/5

Grow More 5088 Water Soluble Fertilizer

If you’re looking for a water-soluble fertilizer that will start your ryegrass off well by creating strong roots, this may be a good option for you. Grow More’s 5088 Water Soluble Fertilizer has high levels of phosphorus and potassium to start your grass off right. This is an especially good product for annual ryegrass or if you plan to use it within a fertigation system. 

What We Like

• Works best in cooler temperatures
• High micronutrient content for all-around lawn health
• Water-soluble

Specs

• N-P-K: 0-50-30
• Coverage: 6lbs diluted in water covers 1acre 
• Type: Synthetic

Verdict

Grow More manufactured this product with cooler temperatures in mind. They created a product that will work well to establish roots and start seeds out in the fall when you’re planting your rye. This product covers a large area with less because of its water solubility, so it’s a good value for your dollar. 

Rating: 4/5

Buyer’s Guide

There are several things you’ll need to look for to find the best fertilizer for ryegrass, but the highest priority is lots of nitrogen. A high nitrogen fertilizer helps to keep ryegrass going strong, but it can also help to establish the seedlings when combined with phosphorus and potassium. 

New Seeds vs. Established Lawns

Generally speaking, you’ll need a different fertilizer for newly planted ryegrass versus established grass. You’ll want to use a starter fertilizer or a “slow-release” fertilizer for new seeds to help them develop a solid root system. You will want to avoid weed and seed options, though, as these fertilizers often include weed stopping components that can injure seedlings. 

Established ryegrass needs more nitrogen than seedlings to keep it going strong. Micronutrients are also important to keep grass green and full all season long. You can look for pure nitrogen fertilizers and organic fertilizers as the best options for your established ryegrass. 

Soil Testing

It’s important to understand the nutrients that are naturally in your soil before you choose a fertilizer for your ryegrass. When you get your soil tested, you will learn how much fertilizer and what types will work best for your soil. If you don’t test before fertilizing, you may end up with nutrient imbalances that will affect your lawn, water quality, and animals consuming the grasses. 

What is N-P-K?

All fertilizers have three numbers written on the bag in the form of N-P-K. N stands for nitrogen, P stands for phosphorus, and K stands for potassium. These numbers represent the percentage of the nutrient by weight within the fertilizer. N-P-K ratios are important because they tell you what the fertilizer does when you apply it to your new seeds or established grass. 

Final Selection Round-Up

With everything we’ve shared here regarding the best fertilizers for ryegrass, we wanted to narrow down our top overall pick, a premium product, and the best value for you to simplify things. 

Best Overall

Scott’s Turf Builder Starter Fertilizer is our best overall pick because it works well to start your seeds and build strong roots, but continues to keep your grass in top condition all season. 

Premium Product

Milogranite 0636 Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer is our premium product because it works for new and established ryegrass and contains iron for extra lawn health. This product will keep your grass green and full without the chemicals, but it does come at a higher cost. 

Best Value

Peaceful Valley Organic Micro Hume is an excellent value for the dollar. When you dilute this product, you need very little to cover 1000 square feet of lawn, which means you’ll likely only need one inexpensive tub per season.