I really not sure. I've grown rye too. How about trying something like tall fescue.

I planted big bluestem seeds on January 27 in peat pots and in a large flat of potting soil. I positioned the bottom half of a large-size plastic storage box (translucent) over them and propped up one edge with a block of wood to allow some air circulation, all on a table in front of a south-facing window. One week later, I have sprouts!!!! I plan on transplanting them to larger pots late in the spring and moving them outdoors until it's time to plant them permanently in the fall. Anyone have any suggestions or experience with this?

Furpaws why do you have to wait till fall? If you was to have fall sown, you'd have BBS sproutin spring anyways....I fall sowed my wildflowers/grasses in November...I also outta boardom started a few BBS plugs indoors not too long ago and am looking at 4"to5" green'ness!! Looks at home with my houseplants LOL!

Vera

Hi Vera,
I understand BBS prefers a moist site. Since our summers tend to be hot and dry, and my garden is a mix of sand, clay, and very little loam, I have a small nursery bed at one end of my wild garden/meadow where I can keep an eye on young potted plants over the summer. I've tried direct sowing BBS in both fall and spring with no success, and likewise with planting plugs in early spring (however I did have pretty good results direct sowing Little bluestem). By early to mid-September I'll put these BBS plugs in the ground while they're semi-dormant; with cooler temps and, hopefully, a fair amount of rain they'll take hold and be rarin' to go the following spring.

I've started warm season native grasses indoors many times. I plant in nursery packs in late February/early March for zone 4. Cover with saran wrap and water from below. Put in a southern exposure full sun window. Remove plastic when seeds sprout and put a grow light over the plants. Transplant into deeper pots at least twice. Harden off plants in a sheltered area (hothouse, etc.) before planting at site in late April or May. Keep weeded & sufficiently watered and surround with protective fencing if you have lots of deer or rabbits. To make the small plants easy to find, stick a red flag on wire about 6 inches north of the plant. You can buy bundles of these flags for very little. If you always put the flag 6 inches north of your plant it will not interfere with the plant's light and you will be able to spot its new growth next spring very easily. I've successfully started Big Bluestem, Indiangrass, Little Bluestem, Dropseed and Sideoats Grama with this technique. Email me if you have further questions.