Annual ryegrass is quick to germinate and is often used to overseed the warm-season grasses. The warm-season turf is sometimes vertically mowed lightly to allow the ryegrass seed to get good soil contact, but the seed is often just spread on top of the established turf and watered in.

Annual ryegrass is lighter green and coarser than perennial ryegrass. It also is less heat-tolerant than perennial. This could be an advantage for overseeding since ryegrass should disappear before it interferes with the growth of the warm-season grass.