# Transitioning to reel mower...how?



## DFWdude (Aug 28, 2020)

Come spring time, I plan to start reel mowing. I'm still debating on which reel mower, but beyond that I am also debating about going all in and doing the front and back yards, or just doing a small trial by tackling the front since its only 20% of the sq footage. My concern is that if I only do the front and if it ends up looking bad that's the location that will obviously be seen the most.

With that said, how does one transition from rotary to reel? Scalp as low as possible with a rotary, then further scalp with the reel? Then maintain HOC w reel?
Do I start this process when I see some green or when the lawn is mostly green? 
Dethatch before or after scalping?

My ZTR does not accept a collection system, so bagging roughly 2.5" of scalp is going to be a pain. Any tips other than to leaf blow it into piles and rake it up?

Thanks y'all


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## Txmx583 (Jun 8, 2017)

Here is what I did and would recommend. First I'm guessing you have Bermuda since your in Texas like me.

I would scalp and bag as low as possible with you rotary mower. Then start scalping and bagging with your reel mower depending on what HOC you want to maintain. I maintain at 1/2" so when I scalp I scalp it down to 1/4".

Whatever height you want to maintain at, scalp your turf at half that height. Don't worry about what time of year it is or how much the grass has grown. I have done mine in winter, mid summer, spring, doesn't really matter when Bermuda will push through and thrive!!

You might as well do front and back because it's going to look a million times better than rotors cutting. Scalping and bagging it all is a pain in the *** so save yourself the trouble and knock it all out at once haha.

Looking forward to seeing your lawn and what you do!!


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## Kicker (Apr 5, 2018)

You've got it pretty much dialed in.

Scalp as low as you can with the rotary, collect the clippings anyway possible. Dethatch if you choose, then scalp with the reel. Se the maintenace height on the reel a 1/4 to 1/2 inch above the scalp height and mow as often as you can.

With a lawn that size you're going to want to invest in some PGR like TNEX or Primo to help make it more manageable.

BElieve me when i say it's going to look really really bad.... at first. Once we start hitting warmer temps in April combined with the spring rains it'll start taking off. Hold off on fertilizing till after we have our last frost.


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## gooodawgs (Jul 10, 2020)

I'm in the same boat as @DFWdude I have a zero turn but will be getting a Toro 1600 before Spring. If my first cut with the new reel mower is the spring scalp, am I going to need to take it right back to get sharpened? Or will the reel last through the scalp and spring/summer season?


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## Kicker (Apr 5, 2018)

gooodawgs said:


> I'm in the same boat as @DFWdude I have a zero turn but will be getting a Toro 1600 before Spring. If my first cut with the new reel mower is the spring scalp, am I going to need to take it right back to get sharpened? Or will the reel last through the scalp and spring/summer season?


It'll be fine. it'll last through the season. IF you have to keep adjusting the the reel to bedknife spacing and it's starting to make a lot of contact you might need to backlap it to hone the reel and bedknife edge.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

DFWdude said:


> My ZTR does not accept a collection system, so bagging roughly 2.5" of scalp is going to be a pain. Any tips other than to leaf blow it into piles and rake it up?
> 
> Thanks y'all


Buy a quality lawn sweeper and it will pick up those clippings. Best lawn tool investment I've made in some time.


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## DFWdude (Aug 28, 2020)

@cglarsen thanks!

Back to the overall transition.... if the current lawn is nothing special, will going to a reel just show off how awful it is? I know it was mentioned that for a few weeks it will look bad, but is that assuming a great starting lawn?


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## Kicker (Apr 5, 2018)

DFWdude said:


> @cglarsen thanks!
> 
> Back to the overall transition.... if the current lawn is nothing special, will going to a reel just show off how awful it is? I know it was mentioned that for a few weeks it will look bad, but is that assuming a great starting lawn?


just using the reel will transform it from how awful you think it is, to everyone around thinking it's the best lawn they've ever seen. Prepare yourself for compliments. It took me a year or two before I told myself to start accepting and thanking people for the compliments instead of brushing it to the side and shrugging it off because I knew and could see all that was wrong with it.


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## SunnyBermuda (Oct 16, 2019)

I was in the same situation this year, as I was making the jump to reel. I started like others have said and mowed with my little Craftsman push mower, bagged it and got it as low as possible (1.25").

Next, I went after the turf with the scarifier cartridge and boy was I shocked at the mess under my Bermuda 419. I probably did 7 full passes with the scarifier over the course of several weeks. I then put on the reel cartridge and have loved it. I only mowed at 1" this season as I focused on soil improvements and getting the grass looking decent.

You can see on my latest video at how hideous it looked last year as I compared the two. Next year I hope to topdress and start bringing the HOC down.

How many sq. ft will you be reel mowing? Is it level or hilly? That's a huge factor!


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## DFWdude (Aug 28, 2020)

@SunnyBermuda Just short of 20k sq ft, and its mostly level.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Oh man! @DFWdude, you gotta put a reel on all of that. By June it's going to look like left field at Globe Life Park. Take lots of pictures. You won't notice the improvement until you look back at photos.


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## Txmx583 (Jun 8, 2017)

Yard looks great already! Reel is going to transform it to a masterpiece!!! Redtwin hit the nail on the head. Do Th e whole lawn for sure.


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## gonefishn2010 (Jun 15, 2020)

Nothing to overthink, get a reel mower. scalp down to 1/4" set reel up to 1/2" mow every 3 - 4 days make sure to double cut. If you hate it...which you won't, you can always let it grow back up to 1 1/2" and bust the rotary back out. Throw the reel on offer up and cut your loses. Only thing you will be thinking is why did i wait so long to do this. Good luck


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## Wfrobinette (Feb 3, 2019)

I'd consider keeping it a bit higher than 1/2" I find my tiftuf does a whole lot better at .75.

You have to have a pretty level lawn to scalp at 0.25. You will dull that blade quickly if you are constantly digging dirt.


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

Another option if it is allowed would by your town would be to burn you lawn this spring. ( if you are comfortable ). Then you dont have to scalp bag and you got a lot of organic material. Plus your yard will green up faster being that it is black in color.
Just start cutting at your desired HOC


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## DFWdude (Aug 28, 2020)

I had to get permission to fly an American flag, if you can believe that. Granted it was the HOA and not the city, but no way will they let a grass burning happen. 
Great idea though


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## BubbaGrumpus (Jun 17, 2019)

I find it easier to ask for forgiveness.. HOA's suck.


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## DFWLawnNut (Jul 7, 2020)

DFWdude said:


> I had to get permission to fly an American flag, if you can believe that. Granted it was the HOA and not the city, but no way will they let a grass burning happen.
> Great idea though


HOA's should burn lol. Im definitely with the "ask for forgiveness" side on this one. If they ask Id just tell them I accidentally put too much product down. How would they know any different?

Its also illegal for the HOA to NOT let you fly the American flag. Its against federal laws.


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## DFWdude (Aug 28, 2020)

I know it is illegal to prohibit it. But their way around it is that I need approval as to where I can place it on my property. Same for the TX flag. 
Hate HOAs


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## j2dna (Apr 1, 2020)

I'm in a similar position. Moved to a house with Bermuda (Tiff 419) that is usually mowed at 4.5". I've taken it down to 2.5" so far. My thought was to keep it at that height through winter and start fresh in late March.

Is it best to keep a little more height through the winter or does it really matter?


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## Kicker (Apr 5, 2018)

j2dna said:


> I'm in a similar position. Moved to a house with Bermuda (Tiff 419) that is usually mowed at 4.5". I've taken it down to 2.5" so far. My thought was to keep it at that height through winter and start fresh in late March.
> 
> Is it best to keep a little more height through the winter or does it really matter?


I don't think it really matters. For those of us that reel mow, letting it get above an inch for winter would be a nightmare of a cleanup the following spring. It's just more material we have to remove/cleanup for the detatch & scalp. Having said that... Once I started keeping my lawn around .500" it stayed green longer into the fall and greened up WAY sooner than lawns that were kept tall over the winter.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Kicker said:


> j2dna said:
> 
> 
> > I'm in a similar position. Moved to a house with Bermuda (Tiff 419) that is usually mowed at 4.5". I've taken it down to 2.5" so far. My thought was to keep it at that height through winter and start fresh in late March.
> ...


I noticed the same thing. It barely went dormant keeping it lower through the winter.


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## Txmx583 (Jun 8, 2017)

Redtwin said:


> Kicker said:
> 
> 
> > j2dna said:
> ...


Mines the same way, my lawn stayed 80% green all year.


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## cutigers08 (Aug 16, 2019)

j2dna said:


> I'm in a similar position. Moved to a house with Bermuda (Tiff 419) that is usually mowed at 4.5". I've taken it down to 2.5" so far. My thought was to keep it at that height through winter and start fresh in late March.
> 
> Is it best to keep a little more height through the winter or does it really matter?


Keeping it high through the winter just means more to scalp in the spring. I keep mine short into the winter and it is fine.


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