# Spring bermuda scalp with limited tools



## Rooster (Aug 19, 2019)

A challenge, TLF warm season gurus: what would be your method and steps for a March scalp with the following tools at your disposal? Assume you have no access to other tools, and you're working with a very small lawn.

Your arsenal:


A manual reel mower that goes as low as 0.5" with no bagger
A Ryobi 18V string trimmer
A manual dethatching rake
A leaf rake
A corded electric leaf blower


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## nickmg (Feb 12, 2018)

give the neighbor a beer to borrow their powered lawnmower with bagger.


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## Rooster (Aug 19, 2019)

nickmg said:


> give the neighbor a beer to borrow their powered lawnmower with bagger.


No access to other tools. Please play within the boundaries of this thought experiment.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Use the string trimmer to take it to dirt. Use the blower and rake to pick up the clippings as best you can and then maintain at .5" with the manual reel. With a Ryobi 18V, you will probably need multiple charging sessions to get through it all.


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## Rooster (Aug 19, 2019)

Redtwin said:


> Use the string trimmer to take it to dirt. Use the blower and rake to pick up the clippings as best you can and then maintain at .5" with the manual reel. With a Ryobi 18V, you will probably need multiple charging sessions to get through it all.


If one wanted to maintain at 0.75" or 1" would you still go down to dirt with the string trimmer, or would a scalp to 0.5" with the reel do the job?


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## Spurge Farmer (Oct 1, 2020)

Would fire be considered a tool? If not I have an idea.


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## Theycallmemrr (May 16, 2019)

Bermuda_Rooster said:


> Redtwin said:
> 
> 
> > Use the string trimmer to take it to dirt. Use the blower and rake to pick up the clippings as best you can and then maintain at .5" with the manual reel. With a Ryobi 18V, you will probably need multiple charging sessions to get through it all.
> ...


My understanding of the first scalp is so that the soil is not insulated from the dormant/dead leaf tissue on top. When you scalp and remove the dead leaf tissue on top the soil temperature rises quicker stimulating growth/green up.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

With your yard only being 2500 square feet, the tools you have should be more than adequate....

I am assuming you have the stamina and strength to do the work. Remember to take breaks....

Get some!!


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## Cdub5_ (Jun 12, 2019)

Yeah, string trimmer will get the job done. When I scalped with a string trimmer I sectioned off my yard and did one section at a time. I didn't kill myself and it was complete in less than 3 days.
I'm pretty sure every big box store has a rotary lawn mower you can use to take your yard down as low as possible. Be worth the $30. 
Hell, now that it's winter time you can find all sorts of mowers for sell for pretty cheap on Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace etc...


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## Rooster (Aug 19, 2019)

Thanks all for the feedback! I only have ~600 sq ft in the front and ~1900 in the back, so I can easily get it done with the string trimmer in a day or two. The neighbors will think I'm crazy but hey, they already do. The toughest part will be clearing out the clippings but I think I'll be able to do most of it with the blower.

Is there a particular change in the weather that's a good signal for the scalp? I follow soil temps, and last year I think the first green shoots I saw were at about 65F. Should I plan to scalp before that?


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I think when you start seeing little green shoots all over the lawn is a perfect time to start scalping and I wouldn't worry too much about any cold snaps you might get as it would take a prolonged one to do any real damage. Just be aware that when you are blowing all those dead clippings with the blower, it's going to create quite the dust storm. You might have better luck using a push broom with it and having the lawn slightly damp will help too but the leaf rake alone will get about 80% of the clippings left behind.


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## Jairow (Nov 12, 2019)

Going back to the original question. What about triple cutting or (4x cut) with the reel mower at the lowest setting. Then use the trimmer to hit the spots that the reel mower didn't get. Use the leaf rake after that. I seem to get a slight scalp most times I double cut with my Fiskars at the lowest setting when I'm maintaining my Bermuda at the lowest setting.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Jairow said:


> Going back to the original question. What about triple cutting or (4x cut) with the reel mower at the lowest setting. Then use the trimmer to hit the spots that the reel mower didn't get. Use the leaf rake after that. I seem to get a slight scalp most times I double cut with my Fiskars at the lowest setting when I'm maintaining my Bermuda at the lowest setting.


To prevent the scalping you would need to go lower then your lowest setting when you do you Spring scalp or raise your HOC up one notch from where you did your Spring scalp. Bermuda will grow from the lowest part that it was cut at so you are basically cutting off all the green each time you mow. You have to give it a little room for the green blades to grow.


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## Rooster (Aug 19, 2019)

Thanks, @Mightyquinn. I'll wait for green shoots.


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## DurtEsanch (Jan 23, 2021)

I Have similar tools except that I also have an Echo electric rotary (cuts to 5/8in) w bag to clean up. I too dethatch w a rake. It is my least favorite thing tied with aerating with spike shoes

Personally I would cut at .75in going NS then EW. Use the dethachting rake to pull up any stolons and bent leaves as much as possible after and then cut again at .5 going NS-EW again. To get the stubborn stuff you can go over the same pass you just did the opposite way. Repeat with the DT rake and .5 cut until your satisfied.

I personally don't like going as low as the dirt but that's me. To clean up I'd use the blower to blow it all to the middle and then use a broom and dust pan to scoop up as much as possible.


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## Brackin4au (Jun 13, 2018)

Where are you located? Good chance one of use may be close and can come buzz it down for you haha. Or you could try what I'm doing this year.... torch it haha.


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## Rooster (Aug 19, 2019)

A new opportunity may be presenting itself-- may be buying my BIL a rotary mower for his first house, and I may borrow it before I deliver it.


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## Buster (Apr 3, 2020)

Scalping (Bermuda) is recommended when the lawn starts to green up and is coming out of dormancy. Some folks recommend scalping when you see about 50% of the lawn with a green haze.


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## Rooster (Aug 19, 2019)

Buster said:


> Scalping (Bermuda) is recommended when the lawn starts to green up and is coming out of dormancy. Some folks recommend scalping when you see about 50% of the lawn with a green haze.


Thanks. I'm going to wait for signs of green which, if last year is any indication, will be around mid to late March here.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

For 2500 sq ft, I would burn it down to the dirt with the strimmer, hand rake it into piles to be bagged and set out for disposal.

If the neighbors aren't giving you sufficient attention by this point, I would pull a @wardconnor and shop vac the lawn to get any remaining debris. :lol:

Or burn it in place pursuant to local regulations of course.


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## lsk5013 (Aug 14, 2020)

@Bermuda_Rooster - What did you end up going with? I'm in the same/similar boat as you with a standard electric mower, 18V Ryobi trimmer, dethatch rake and leaf rake, and blower. Was going to do the Ryobi trimmer down to dirt, but not sure how to get all the clippings up? How did you do it? Just trying to figure out as we get closer to scalping time here in Greater Atlanta!


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## Rooster (Aug 19, 2019)

lsk5013 said:


> @Bermuda_Rooster - What did you end up going with? I'm in the same/similar boat as you with a standard electric mower, 18V Ryobi trimmer, dethatch rake and leaf rake, and blower. Was going to do the Ryobi trimmer down to dirt, but not sure how to get all the clippings up? How did you do it? Just trying to figure out as we get closer to scalping time here in Greater Atlanta!


I haven't scapled yet. I did test pushing the Earthwise with no rear roller and it gets it down pretty darn low. I may just do that and skip the string trimmer.

As for removing clippings, I plan to try the blower first and see how well that does. I'm hoping not to have to manually rake but that is plan B.


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## stogie1020 (Sep 10, 2019)

MasterMech said:


> For 2500 sq ft, I would burn it down to the dirt with the strimmer, hand rake it into piles to be bagged and set out for disposal.
> 
> If the neighbors aren't giving you sufficient attention by this point, I would pull a @wardconnor and* shop vac the lawn to get any remaining debris*. :lol:
> 
> Or burn it in place pursuant to local regulations of course.


OMG, I thought I was the only one who did that!!

OP, I had 750sqft and took it to dirt with the string trimmer, raked, then used a blower (and then a shop vac) to get all the debris and put the bags out for trash collection. Worked just fine, albeit at the expense of my back.


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