I had been wondering why half of my backyard had been dying over the past couple of years and I found out it is infested with cool weather annual rye grass. The first week it is in the 80's and there is no rain, it all dies. Now last fall, I aearated my soil and planted fescue. The fescue is there, but they rye is dying around it. I have noted in past years, when the rye dies, it puts down a layer of hay that does not allow water to penetrate through it. So i have 2 questions, one, now that the rye is starting to die, what can I do to rake it up? Regual bamboo rake? Are there other devices? Also, I read in late august to put down chemicals that will not allow the rye seeds to sprout to get rid of it once and for all. What have people used to get rid of the rye and how often did you apply it? Thanks for any advice.

Annual ryegrass is a weed grass often used as a nurse crop for new lawns, but once planted it can be a pest. Once it does die out and the grass blades do turn brown they can be left there to add needed organic matter to your soil. The single best way to combat Annual Ryegrass is to grow the desired grass thicker and better able to dend off an invasion by this stuff by proper feeding, proper mowing, proper watering. Mow your grass as high as your mower will allow so the blades of grass can capture more sunlight to use to manufacture more nutrients that will feed the grass crown so it will grow more grass blades to fill in the bare spots.
A pre emergent can be spread before the seeds that are produced this year start to germinate, in the generally cooler, moister fall. Something containing Corn Gluten Meal would work and since that is also a good Nitrogen source it can also feed your lawn.