Plan your planting of winter rye grass for any time of the year except when the ground is frozen. Plant rye grass seed in any well-drained soil.
Rake the surface of soil that you will seeding so that the seeds will easily be in contact with it after spreading. There is no need to till the soil or do any digging.
Dampen the soil lightly so that the seed will stick when spread. When seeding over an existing lawn, the seed can be spread directly on top of existing grass.
Apply a lawn-starting fertilizer to the area.
Spread the seed by hand or with a mechanical spreader. Apply at a rate of 5 to 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Water frequently the first week and enough so that the seed is kept damp. Germination should occur in about seven days.