# The seed heads are coming...



## cnet24 (Jul 14, 2017)

Noticed these starting to pop up in the lawn today. I started later this year with PGR and wondering if I will have any suppression on seedheads:


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## tcorbitt20 (Aug 31, 2018)

Mine are bad right now too. I looked back and saw they were bad in the middle of June last year. Maybe they'll be past that stage here pretty soon.


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## cnet24 (Jul 14, 2017)

From my understanding we have had a relatively warmer than normal spring. Maybe that is what is making them sprout early this year. By the time they had sprouted last year I was well under growth regulation, and the seed head suppression from PGR use is a real thing.


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## Wfrobinette (Feb 3, 2019)

I've got them coming up in Charlotte now too! I'm not fully green yet so I have hit the pgr program.


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## tcorbitt20 (Aug 31, 2018)

Any change in your lawn @cnet24? Mine are still in full force, but I've never tried PGR. Maybe I should. 
This is the best picture I could find showing the seed heads.


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

I had them all over at the end of April, I decided to scalp to reset things and now they are mostly gone.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

I cut my Bermuda much higher and the seed heads were showing. I'm using PGR but haven't hit that amount that gives me suppression yet.


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## tcorbitt20 (Aug 31, 2018)

Thanks, guys. @erdons I just can't bring myself to scalp it. Maybe if it's still doing it in a few weeks...


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## cnet24 (Jul 14, 2017)

@tcorbitt20 they have certainly gotten worse but nothing I'm concerned with. They are just more annoying since they grow faster than the grass blades. No need to change mowing schedule or your HOC- they will eventually go away.

Are you reel mowing? I highly encourage you to use PGR- it's the number 1 chemical I would say to use on reel low Bermuda.


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## tcorbitt20 (Aug 31, 2018)

@cnet24 I am reel mowing. My Bermuda is Discovery which is supposed to grow slower vertically than other hybrids. I'm not overly concerned about the seed heads, but they're aggravating. I'm already cutting at .5" so I don't really think scalping would help me any.

I pulled this blade of Discovery last year. No PGR.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

I'm wondering the seeds head comes and I mow it leaves the grass a different color green then the rest of the Bermuda. Any one else experience this? Also, does pgr stop seeds heads from development.


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## tcorbitt20 (Aug 31, 2018)

@CenlaLowell Those stalks in mine always have a lighter color. I think PGR is supposed to suppress seed head growth.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

tcorbitt20 said:


> Any change in your lawn @cnet24? Mine are still in full force, but I've never tried PGR. Maybe I should.
> This is the best picture I could find showing the seed heads.
> [/qu@cnet24 Only a true lawn nerd would post an adorable picture of a baby to show off seed heads. We are proud of you. :thumbup:


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## cnet24 (Jul 14, 2017)

@TN Hawkeye not my picture or kid but cute nonetheless


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## Uk0724 (May 1, 2019)

Mine are coming out in force. There is no stopping them with sahara bermudagrass. I will have two full acres of them in a couple of days.

It takes twice as long to mow. I hit them with a rotary then get on the reel and clean up the yard. Usually have to do it three times a year before they go away.


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## dre white (May 6, 2019)

My whole lawn is covered now in rotten ugly seed heads. I cut and a day after they are there again. That is the worst thing about Bermuda is dealing with seed heads.


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

I have seedheads out to


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## thesouthernreelmower (Aug 28, 2018)

I have zero but use pgr heavily


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## Keepin It Reel (Feb 20, 2019)

I have them here as well mowing at 1/2" in the front and 3/4" in the rear. It leaves a whitish haze over my lawn.

Which pgr product are you guys using and at what application rate to prevent this?


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## anthonybilotta (Aug 11, 2018)

The seed heads were suppressed pretty well with the Tnex. However, I am about two weeks into suppression and while my grass is still suppressed, the seed heads are starting to pop up again . A rate of .25 seems to suppress them at least on my tiftuf.


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## DeliveryMan (Mar 1, 2018)

Its amazing how quickly they grow..

And is it a sign of anything that my Tru-Cut doesn't seem to cut the seed head stalks as well as it cuts the grass?? Even right after a mow, it looks like the roller has just pushed the seed head stalks down and the reel doesn't actually touch them, but the blades of the grass as still really cut well..


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## tcorbitt20 (Aug 31, 2018)

DeliveryMan said:


> Its amazing how quickly they grow..
> 
> And is it a sign of anything that my Tru-Cut doesn't seem to cut the seed head stalks as well as it cuts the grass?? Even right after a mow, it looks like the roller has just pushed the seed head stalks down and the reel doesn't actually touch them, but the blades of the grass as still really cut well..


Mine does the same thing. I think it's just a sign of those stalks are stronger than grass blades. If I double cut in different directions, it seems to help, but they're just aggravating until they're gone. I tried backlapping and adjusting the reel, but it didn't make any difference.


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## Keepin It Reel (Feb 20, 2019)

tcorbitt20 said:


> DeliveryMan said:
> 
> 
> > Its amazing how quickly they grow..
> ...


How long until these guys disappear on their own?

I just adjusted my reel because the right side wasn't cutting fine anymore and thought that was my issue with stalks standing after I mowed but thankfully it's not just me.


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## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

I did 1 application of tnex, then let it come out of suppression because I didn't like how it was looking and wanted to go higher. As soon as it came out I had terrible seed heads and they are persisting 11 days into another PGR app. Terrible!


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

They are crazy in my lawn. Some say its a sign of healthy Bermuda. I cut the grass and the next day or two days for sure they are back in full force. Does anyone know when they stop?


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

In my experience, it takes on average 10 days to 2 weeks to complete the process, depending on the environment. Heat definitely speeds up the process.

Common Bermuda around me is the first to show and then my hybrid heads follow about 7-10 days later. So the overlap can be anywhere between 21-28 days, for my area.

Common started early last week and my hybrid started promptly this past Saturday, which is unusually close together, so I'm hoping they'll both be done by this time next week.

IIRC, every node has the potential to generate a seed head.


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

You'll still get sporadic outbreaks throughout the summer though.


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

Both common and hybrid bermudas are done here in Virginia so roughly 21 days total. The usual.

Now the annual Fairy Circle under my oak is making an appearance.


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## tcorbitt20 (Aug 31, 2018)

Still got some here in my part of Alabama


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

I still have some but should be done very soon!


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## Keepin It Reel (Feb 20, 2019)

ctrav said:


> I still have some but should be done very soon!


Mine are still growing strong! I'm having to double cut to get rid of them and usually the next day...."theyyyyyyrrrreee baaaaccccckkkk"!


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## tcorbitt20 (Aug 31, 2018)

Most of mine are gone, but I've still got a few spots where they haven't changed a bit.


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## RayTL (Jun 4, 2018)

+1, noticed a ton today in my yard :shock:


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## fp_911 (Apr 10, 2017)

This is the first year in almost 5 years I've owned the home where these things are not going away. I first cut with my rotary mower and still these stupid things stay behind. So my lawn has looked awful all year because of them. Ugh!


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## Wfrobinette (Feb 3, 2019)

RayTL said:


> +1, noticed a ton today in my yard :shock:


Mine are back too! Not as bad as in May but they are there.

what I have learned.

They get too tall to cut with a reel mower in one pass. I've tried 3 passes and not really much better.

Get the PGR going much sooner.

Get the yard leveled real nice then pull out the rotary to get them short enough to be handle by the reel.


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## admdam (Apr 27, 2019)

I have a Trucut and increased the speed of the blade relative to forward speed and that seems to help somewhat. But they keep on coming back no matter how well they are cut.


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

Ive been round and round with seed heads...my yard was looking perfect earlier this year with the right fertilizer and rain, I was thinking year 6 of my lawn was going to be magical. Rain stopped, heat came and here come the seed heads again.

I personally didn't see much seed head suppression from PGR but was not applying it on a regular basis like i should have been...

Reel mowers will not cut seed heads no matter how well you have a mower setup. Grass and paper cut very easily when you have a mower properly set up... Go out to your lawn and pull a seed head out of the stalk. The seed head itself pulls out easily but what's left behind is what dies and turns white and make the lawn have the hazy look. Reel mowers compound the problem by removing the seed head tops by pulling the from the stalk(not a technical term). Now you have two issues a, a dead seed head and a dead stalk..both turn white and make your beautiful bermuda look like doo-doo.

Ive found the best way when seed heads get bad is I hit them at the lowest setting on my rotary and bag.. then come back a day or two later and mow with a reel mower setup really well. Grass, Paper and dead stuff cuts easily now making the lawn look much better after a double cut. My rotary goes down to 1" and I reel at 1/2"


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## SwBermuda (Jun 9, 2019)

Come to West Texas and see the seed heads I've had (have) in my backyard. My reel mower is getting fixed so I've gone as low as I can go with a rotary and these suckers I swear pop up from hiding 6-8 hours after I've mowed like they have risen from the dead! Now if heat causes quick growth, I guess the basically 2 weeks straight of triple digit weather doesn't help.


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