# Bermuda Too Thick to Scalp, What are the Solutions? Would Verticutter work?



## ShaneQi (Oct 9, 2019)

Hi guys, third year into lawn care.
Have been reel mowing at about 1 inch and I'm finding that my lawn is harder and harder to scalp every spring.

I have been trying to scalp my lawn to 1/2 inch this week. I'm scalping with multiple passes, and when it come down to the last pass, I would see a very thick layer of yellow grass (they have root, do they count as thatch?). It's so thick that my reel mower can't handle.
My reel mower would either float on the layer, not cutting effectively, or would be choked to shut down because the layer is too thick (I can continue mowing after a couple of 10s seconds for my mower to calm down).

I think the problem is because of these:
1. it's Bermuda &#129335;‍♂
2. I probably have overfed my lawn (because I was too eager)
3. I never verticut

So it feels like that an immediate solution would be verticutting.
Would verticut work for me? (BTW are the power rakes you can borrow from HomeDepot the same as "verticutters"?)
Are there other effective solutions?

Thanks in advance!


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## Erickson89 (May 3, 2020)

Following because I'm curious about the power takes as well. I assume they are traditional dethatchers vs a verticutter but I can't find anywhere that rents a true verticutter


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## latitude36 (Mar 27, 2019)

Bermuda is a very hearty grass and needs verticut/power raked 2 a year--before green up and mid summer.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

So you are currently at 1 inch and our trying to scalp at 1/2 inch? 
The best way to do this is to take it down in small increments.
I typically bring it down in 1/8 - 1/4 inch increments depending on how thick the lawn is and how my mower is handling it. 
I have a sunjoe that helps thin it out as well.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

my toro flex will stop spinning the reel when I try to cut too much at once... Bringing it down in small increments prevents that.


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## ShaneQi (Oct 9, 2019)

Erickson89 said:


> Following because I'm curious about the power takes as well. I assume they are traditional dethatchers vs a verticutter but I can't find anywhere that rents a true verticutter


I have the same understanding.

I'm planning to rent the power rake first because it's the cheapest options.
I think it will be powerful enough, my concern is that it's going to rip up a lot of roots because the blades aren't particularly sharp to "cut".
I will update how it goes.

But for long term, I'm thinking about purchasing the verticutter cartridge and scrarifier cartridge for my Swardman Electra to make verticutting and dethatch a yearly routine. This is a video that uses the above 2 cartridges and encouraged me.


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## ShaneQi (Oct 9, 2019)

latitude36 said:


> Bermuda is a very hearty grass and needs verticut/power raked 2 a year--before green up and mid summer.


Tho I didn't think I had thatch issue because I always bag clippings, but now I agree with you.
Bermuda's horizontal growth making the lower part pain in the butt to deal with if without verticutting.


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## ShaneQi (Oct 9, 2019)

rjw0283 said:


> So you are currently at 1 inch and our trying to scalp at 1/2 inch?
> The best way to do this is to take it down in small increments.
> I typically bring it down in 1/8 - 1/4 inch increments depending on how thick the lawn is and how my mower is handling it.
> I have a sunjoe that helps thin it out as well.


Thanks for the info!

I'm also using multiple passes to cut a little bit in every pass. I guess what I'm missing is to "thin it out".


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## ShaneQi (Oct 9, 2019)

rjw0283 said:


> my toro flex will stop spinning the reel when I try to cut too much at once... Bringing it down in small increments prevents that.


Thanks for the info!

I'm experiencing the same with my Electra. I was a little upset that Electra wasn't power enough because it's electrical not gas. But now seeing other people comments, I think it's also part of because I used it the wrong way: I should have thinning it out.


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## Erickson89 (May 3, 2020)

So I posted in another thread and it looks like you want to rent a slit seeder. It will do the verticutting and you just don't fill with any type of seed in the hopper so no issues with that part


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## UFG8RMIKE (Apr 21, 2019)

Scalping is really hard on a reel mower and the reels. I used my tru cut for 2 seasons scalping but never again. Getting a honda push mower just for scalping.


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## GoDawgs (Jun 18, 2020)

@UFG8RMIKE how are you able to scalp with a rotary mower? I would much rather use that than my reel but haven't been able to find a rotary that goes to scalp level on a reel cut lawn. What am I missing?


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## UFG8RMIKE (Apr 21, 2019)

GoDawgs said:


> @UFG8RMIKE how are you able to scalp with a rotary mower? I would much rather use that than my reel but haven't been able to find a rotary that goes to scalp level on a reel cut lawn. What am I missing?


Haven't done it yet but it's been covered. Honda push mowers goes lower than the others, and you can add a few washers before installing the blade to bring it down lower. I believe I've seen others install smaller wheels. I didn't scalp the zoysia this year but one thing I know is I won't scalp with my trucut again. Last time about killed it


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## latitude36 (Mar 27, 2019)

A good deep verticut/power rake helps with the scalp. Helps take the "float" out. I now consider mild verticutting like preventative maint-- on the same page as fungicides--ad here to a schedule to make it less painful when you do. If I had the swardman then it would be done once a month during the growing season.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

latitude36 said:


> A good deep verticut/power rake helps with the scalp. Helps take the "float" out. I now consider mild verticutting like preventative maint-- on the same page as fungicides--ad here to a schedule to make it less painful when you do. If I had the swardman then it would be done once a month during the growing season.


This is what I was wondering - how often to verticut - and if it can prevent the need for a midsummer scalp. What is your typical process on your Latitude to keep it cutting properly throughout the season?


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## Mcpowell (8 mo ago)

I have an old "Forest Gump" type, rear engine snapper, that let's me cut to the dirt. It has been my mower for ~20 years. However, this is the first year I have been a member of the lawn forum, and so now my lawn is much more dense than years before (mostly due to HOC and PGR), and I'm using my Tru Cut for weekly mows. The Snapper has been relegated to leaf pickup, and will be my scalper in the spring. It has a 15 hp Kohler engine, and a high lift blade. I think it will work.


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## Boy_meets_lawn (Sep 27, 2020)

I'd love to be able to fraise mow once a season but that's not going to happen. I picked up a sun joe last week on sale so we will see what it can do but I'm definitely looking for a gas verticut unit or a qa5 verticut head.


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## GAbermuda (9 mo ago)

I picked up a used swardman just so I can easily verticut. It's not as good as a slit seeder but since its in the garage it's easy so I'll actually do it


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## thelawnlife (9 mo ago)

since getting a sunjoe a few years back and converting the blades it came with for verticutting I verticut twice a year min.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I once had a conversation with a superintendent about verticutting and how often they did it. His response was "not nearly as often as I would like". When I asked how often he would verticut in a perfect world, he went on a tangent about keeping the members happy so he could only verticut a couple of times a year. We got interrupted so I never got the answer. @viva_oldtrafford how often should hybrid Bermuda mowed between 3/8" and 1/2" be verticut to keep it healthy? I have a feeling the answer is going to be "It depends" based on fertility and water/rain but I have to ask anyway.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Redtwin said:


> I once had a conversation with a superintendent about verticutting and how often they did it. His response was "not nearly as often as I would like". When I asked how often he would verticut in a perfect world, he went on a tangent about keeping the members happy so he could only verticut a couple of times a year. We got interrupted so I never got the answer. @viva_oldtrafford how often should hybrid Bermuda mowed between 3/8" and 1/2" be verticut to keep it healthy? I have a feeling the answer is going to be "It depends" based on fertility and water/rain but I have to ask anyway.


for a "healthy" lawn? Once a year should suffice....I have outer areas that might get hit once every 3-4 years.

Switching to a golf course scenario where you want firm conditions with very little grain, then yeah, 2-3 times a year may be needed...depending on environmental conditions and user inputs. We would all love to verticut 3 times a year, scalp down with a circle cut, and apply a heavy topdressing, but time is limited and members want to play right now!


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## Twodollarblue (May 26, 2020)

Had to do some P.I. work to figure out what circle cutting was. Pretty neat. https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/green-section-record/58/11/don-t-be-afraid-to-go-around-in-circles.html


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## latitude36 (Mar 27, 2019)

cglarsen said:


> latitude36 said:
> 
> 
> > A good deep verticut/power rake helps with the scalp. Helps take the "float" out. I now consider mild verticutting like preventative maint-- on the same page as fungicides--ad here to a schedule to make it less painful when you do. If I had the swardman then it would be done once a month during the growing season.
> ...


Let me preface this--I am applying very little nitrogen per [email protected] .25 per month or less in July-August. I have found micro feeding urea @PGR intervals with added micro supplements keep the grass looking good without the excessive growth. I have avoided the mid summer scalp with the verticutter/de thatcher. I do have area's that do get too fluffy/thick but that is due to overlapping irrigation heads and excessive grain that I have caused due to cutting in certain directions. I verticut twice a year--spring and late June/July---I believe I did 3 times last year on direct southern exposure sections. Some sections that receive a lot of sun get verticut in 3-4 directions while everything else gets cut in two directions. When I am done the turf is very firm to walk on. I maintain 1/2 inch all year with no scalp. The LAT 36 looks very nice on a low dose feeding schedule.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

latitude36 said:


> cglarsen said:
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> 
> > latitude36 said:
> ...


THIS is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you. Am I interpreting correctly that you verticut multiple passes during those spring and summer events? I think the key as you said is to get a firm surface and remove the cushion underfoot. And low inputs as well.


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## Sonoran Desert Lawn (Aug 22, 2020)

I have a Sunjoe scarifier. It always seems like it shreds the nice Bermuda up. Does it legitimately assist in verticutting or does it just destroy the stolon basket weaving?


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

@Sonoran Desert Lawn are you using the tines or the blades?


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## Sonoran Desert Lawn (Aug 22, 2020)

Redtwin said:


> @Sonoran Desert Lawn are you using the tines or the blades?


Scarifier. I don't use the tines. In fact I don't even know where my tines blade is located. I considered it trash for a Bermuda lawn.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Sonoran Desert Lawn said:


> Scarifier. I don't use the tines. In fact I don't even know where my tines blade is located. I considered it trash for a Bermuda lawn.


Me too but had to ask. The fixed blades on the SunJoe worked pretty well with my Bermuda without much ripping or shredding. There are some who have put an edge on the blades but I never have.


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## latitude36 (Mar 27, 2019)

cglarsen said:


> latitude36 said:
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> 
> > cglarsen said:
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Yes--I verticut at least in two different directions. Some sections receive 3-4 passes. When I am done the ground is very hard to walk on--no cushion. I am micro feeding @weekly by foliar spraying and therefore avoiding excess growth. I find this process less work than scalping while also not leaving things looking crappy for a week or so. Next year after spring scalp I will cut in 4 different directions in growing season in hope of creating less grain. Currently I cut in two different directions however; I have some areas with limited space that get cut in one direction and grain is an issue. My verticutter is a push model or I would probably due it more often.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

latitude36 said:


> cglarsen said:
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> > latitude36 said:
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I hear ya. I feed very little N too and will be changing practices next season. I just scalped and verticut 30k and not a enjoyable. I'll switch to monthly vert cut before midsummer scalping again. Multiple directions too. Pain in the rear to collect, bag, and dispose of several yards of debris all at once.


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