To overseed or not...

[TerryL]

We have been approached to overseed our 419 baseball field by the high school which uses it.
A little backgound... we're in Northeast Georgia on a 419field that had been sodded 3 years ago. Our ph is low (5.2-5.5) and up until this past year little had been done in terms of soil ammendment or turf management (fertilization, aeration, etc.). Does anyone here have any experience in overseeding rye on relatively new bermuda? I'd heard that it competes too much with the Bermuda which does not have the greatest root development yet. We do get brown in the winter due to dormancy and I'm sure they want the rye more for the green than anything. I'm not sure I want to trad that and the small amount of protection overseeding affords for the increased mowing and watering, spring-sprayout, and increased chance for fungal disease.
Any insight that can be offered would be greatly appreciated!

[TforTexas]

Overseeding dormant Bermuda with winter rye offers alot of protection if the field sees much play while the Bermuda is dormant. Not to mention the appearance of the green turf year round, the striping that can be done on Rye, and the safety of the cushion that growing rye offers players over dormant Bermuda.
The Rye will not comperte with the Bermuda this time of year or over the winter but will in the Spring as the Bermuda tries to come out of dormancy.
This can be eliminated by spraying the Ryegrass out with Revolver herbicide.
It will take the Rye out and not affect the Bermuda.
If the field is not taking much winter play the use of Rye is strictly for visuals.
However if the field takes much play while the Bermuda is dormant, especially if it is weak, the wear and tear could scuff the Bermuda down to dirt and since it is dormant and cannot grow off and recover from the wear.
The Rye cerainly helps buffer the traffic.

[bug-guy]

use a quality seed that is blended and has a guaranteed anlysis
double eagle

[tomscreek]

it'll will great, some of my prettiest yards are bermuda in the summer and rye in the winter, use the double eagle rye or equilivent don't get cheap and it'll look great.