# First mow Kbg



## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

This article talks about mowing 2 weeks after seed down at .5-1.0 HOC to promote tillering.

http://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/mitgc/article/1990184.pdf

Been reading a bunch of places that recomend longer till first mow, like 3-4 weeks.

Any benefit to either of these? Not sure what direction to take.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

I might be wrong, but I believe the article you linked to is suggesting mowing lower to help KBG compete better in a mixed seeding with perennial ryegrass. In a bewitched monostand you will look at it at day 15 and say there is no way I am mowing it yet. My guess is you will give it its first mow around day 28 +/-. In my renovation, I gave it its first now at day 29 at 1.125", worked it down to .875" by day 56 and finished the season at .750". Mow only when it needs it(1/3rd rule). This is just my observation on my reno, but if I had to do it again, I think I would leave the HOC around an 1-1.25" or so for the first fall before going lower the next spring. 2 reasons I would do it different are 
1) The longer cut will give you a couple extra days between mows and limit how much you are on it while the slow bewitched is trying to establish.
2) The bewitched seemed to have more vigor at the slightly higher cut. This one is just an observation I saw, and although it looks amazing cut between .5"-.75" I think it grows alittle better at the higher cut(1-1.25") and might help it fill in alittle quicker.


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## JDgreen18 (Jun 14, 2018)

ABC123 said:


> This article talks about mowing 2 weeks after seed down at .5-1.0 HOC to promote tillering.
> 
> http://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/mitgc/article/1990184.pdf
> 
> ...


Yeah there is no way...im 10 days in and Im not even close to a mow


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## llO0DQLE (Dec 4, 2017)

Pete1313 said:


> 2) The bewitched seemed to have more vigor at the slightly higher cut.


This may be the case. I've just read two posts here recently saying Bewitched is slow to establish. It has not been my experience with my reno. It established just as quickly as my 2015 reno which was a blend. I am at Day 80 and I've been needing to mow every 3 days lately. My HOC is 2".


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## jimmy (Jul 25, 2017)

KBG Sprout and Pout™ lasts way too long for mowing at 2 weeks to make sense. I'd have to look back, but I was probably right around 28 days like @Pete1313 when I first mowed. It might have been later even.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Okay, I'll shoot for around day 28.

Would you recommend rolling over the lawn before it's first cut?


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## jimmy (Jul 25, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> Okay, I'll shoot for around day 28.
> 
> Would you recommend rolling over the lawn before it's first cut?


Rolling seems like the last thing you'd want to do.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

jimmy said:


> ABC123 said:
> 
> 
> > Okay, I'll shoot for around day 28.
> ...


I wouldn't roll before your first cut, but you will have some worm casts and unevenness. I would switch out and use the smooth roller on the 220SL I gave you and probably mow with that at least until day 60. The grooved roller will pick up and hold too much soil and be messy. The weight of the greensmower combined with the smooth roller will help flatten any imperfections.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Pete1313 said:


> jimmy said:
> 
> 
> > ABC123 said:
> ...


Alright. Cool, that makes sense. I'll swap out the roller then and set the hoc. I haven't seen any worm castings yet so I'm not too sure I have many.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> Alright. Cool, that makes sense. I'll swap out the roller then and set the hoc. I haven't seen any worm castings yet so I'm not too sure I have many.


The smooth roller I gave you is a hollow one, so the mower will be alittle light on the front end and bounce around some(especially at the higher HOC), but it will work better than the grooved one. I spent so much time cleaning the grooved rollers on mine, I wish I had a set of smooth ones for the front during my reno.


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## KevC (Dec 27, 2018)

@ABC123 just reading this now, as I am was forced into a Spring renovation and wondering when I should be thinking about the first mow
I've got a 3-way KBG mix ... and am currently at 32 days since the first seeding (had some wash out a few times due to spring rains). 
good to know @Pete1313 about your HOC adjustments you'd make doing your reno over, Ive just got a push reel mower at the moment - and thinking 1.25" will be a good first year target HOC


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