# Scalping Bermuda too late?



## kevinwang1219 (Apr 21, 2020)

Hi everyone,

Super new to lawn care and I have done some research and hope experts here can help answer my predicament. I live in Los Angeles, CA and put down bermuda sod last year in July. Now, my backyard is overrun with what it seems to be Poa Annua and the front yard has a lot of weeds (not sure what they are. Still trying to see). It is end of April and I am looking to recover my lawn since the front has so many weeds.

What I plan to do is spray post emergent, scalp, pre-emergent, fertilize and hope for the best. My question: is it too late to scalp? Is it even necessary right now? Should i just spray herbicide to get rid of my current weeds, mow down a bit, put down pre-emergent and fertilize/water?


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## Buster (Apr 3, 2020)

You can scalp Bermuda pretty much anytime you want with no ill effects. But think of scalping as more about removal of Bermuda old growth. It has nothing to do with weed control.

I'm wondering why you don't just do weed control measures and let the Bermuda grow and strengthen. That's what I'd do.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

It seems like a decent plan to me, just don't do it all in one day or one week. You will want to give a little bit of time for the post emergent to work itself into the weed before scalping it all down. Just give it a few days before scalping and doing the rest and you should be setting yourself up for success the rest of the year.


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## kevinwang1219 (Apr 21, 2020)

Buster said:


> You can scalp Bermuda pretty much anytime you want with no ill effects. But think of scalping as more about removal of Bermuda old growth. It has nothing to do with weed control.
> 
> I'm wondering why you don't just do weed control measures and let the Bermuda grow and strengthen. That's what I'd do.


Thank you for the info. I was just under the assumption scalping needs to be done annually. If you're saying it isn't necessary, I can go without it and save some money.


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## kevinwang1219 (Apr 21, 2020)

Mightyquinn said:


> It seems like a decent plan to me, just don't do it all in one day or one week. You will want to give a little bit of time for the post emergent to work itself into the weed before scalping it all down. Just give it a few days before scalping and doing the rest and you should be setting yourself up for success the rest of the year.


Okay. Should i put down herbicide to remove the weeds, wait it out and then put down pre-emergent before scalping? OR should I lay down pre-emergent after scalping? I may be able to skip scalping in its entirety per the person earlier but do you think it should still be done?


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## tnbison (Jun 2, 2017)

It depends on your height of cut(H.O.C.). If you're going to be cutting at the height or below the browned bermuda, I would scalp. If you don't you see the brown through the green most of the year. General rule is scalp at least 1 setting below where you will be maintaining your H.O.C.

I've never regretted scalping. Pre-M after scalping.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I would put post-emergent, wait a 3-7 days, scalp and remove all clippings, pre-emergent and then fertilize. Pre-M and fertilizer can be put down together if you wish.

I always recommend scalping the beginning of the year as it will set you up for later down the road and give you some space to move the HOC up if needed, especially if you are using a reel mower.


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## kevinwang1219 (Apr 21, 2020)

Mightyquinn said:


> I would put post-emergent, wait a 3-7 days, scalp and remove all clippings, pre-emergent and then fertilize. Pre-M and fertilizer can be put down together if you wish.
> 
> I always recommend scalping the beginning of the year as it will set you up for later down the road and give you some space to move the HOC up if needed, especially if you are using a reel mower.


I have a manual reel mower. how do you guys remove all the clippings?


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I usually just use the basket on the reel mower but others will scalp with their reel mower and then go over the lawn with a rotary mower with the bag on it to "suck up" the clippings. I'm sure your neighbors or a friend has one you can borrow if you don't already have one.


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## AZ5445 (Apr 14, 2020)

Not to hijack the thread, but can anyone advise if it is safe to scalp newly planted Bermuda sod? It is 100% rooted and has been down a month. But I still worry that it isn't established enough yet.


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## kevinwang1219 (Apr 21, 2020)

AZ5445 said:


> Not to hijack the thread, but can anyone advise if it is safe to scalp newly planted Bermuda sod? It is 100% rooted and has been down a month. But I still worry that it isn't established enough yet.


not that i am an expert, but from my understanding, scalping is to remove all the brown on top to give room to let the new grass breathe. I think if you scalp right after putting down new sod, it would be way too early.


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## Ren (Aug 29, 2019)

Scalp if you want to but thats kind of a separate thing imo. I used this a couple months ago and it wiped out everything except the poa.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OSH5P0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The poa i have just been pulling by hand (its easier if it just rained or you watered), and am actually very pleased. Next year i will spray pre emergent, but i suspect this heat we are getting this weekend will finish off whatever is left.


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## Ren (Aug 29, 2019)

kevinwang1219 said:


> AZ5445 said:
> 
> 
> > Not to hijack the thread, but can anyone advise if it is safe to scalp newly planted Bermuda sod? It is 100% rooted and has been down a month. But I still worry that it isn't established enough yet.
> ...


I would also wait a little bit.


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