# My celebration looks terrible



## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

I need some advice. My yard is celebration bermuda and it just looks bad after I cut it. It looks great when I let it grow but there are brown spots everywhere after it's cut. I'm not really cutting it all that low. I don't know the exact height, but my John Deere riding mower has settings from 4(highest) to 1, and I'm cutting at 3. This picture is just one small area, but my whole yard looks similar after I cut. A week from now it will look great. Lol

I feel like I should go and mow it down to the dirt and let it grow back but I'm not sure that's the way to go.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

If it's recovering green as it grows out, you might just be scalping it. You could try resetting the height of cut by putting it at a 2 and then cutting it next time at a 3.


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## thesouthernreelmower (Aug 28, 2018)

How often are you cutting?


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

Yup how often are you cutting? When Bermuda is allowed to grow tall it grows like a tree so if your not cutting probably twice a week this time of year your cutting off the green and leaving the brown stems. Or your going have to raise the height of cut but Bermuda that grows tall gets leggy and thin.

Also you may not be able to cut very low with a riding mower depending how level your ground is.

Like I can only mow at 1.25" with my push rotary mower, but can mow at 3/4" with my reel mower.


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

I'm mowing about once every week to 10 days. God help me if I need to mow more often.


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

nateredmon said:


> I'm mowing about once every week to 10 days. God help me if I need to mow more often.


Yes definitely not enough.


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## MonroviaLawnCzar (Jun 1, 2019)

I've been having a similar issue. So if it's turning brown as a result of the height of cut what's the best practice to get to a point where you can cut your Bermuda that low while maintaining a green color? I just thought it was a result of recently being cutting shorter than usual and it would adapt to the new height and remedy the problem by eventually staying green. Guess what I'm saying is.... if the grass is turning brown as a result of the height of cut how do you cut it that length without it turning brown.


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## MonroviaLawnCzar (Jun 1, 2019)

I've been cutting every 2 days btw. It greens up when I let it grow to a few inches but cut st 1 inch it's brown afterward


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

You can look into using a PGR (plant growth regulators) like T-Nex. It slows vertical growth. And then you can probably mow once a week. Then you can figure out how low you can how with your mower. Allot of us use this as with mowing under a inch requires mowing every couple days but with a pgr I can get away with twice a week, once a week if there is not allot of rain.

But you will have to reset your HOC so for example if you want to maintain a HOC OF 2" then your first cut needs to be at 1.5". Then raise your deck up to cut at 2".


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

MonroviaLawnCzar said:


> I've been having a similar issue. So if it's turning brown as a result of the height of cut what's the best practice to get to a point where you can cut your Bermuda that low while maintaining a green color? I just thought it was a result of recently being cutting shorter than usual and it would adapt to the new height and remedy the problem by eventually staying green. Guess what I'm saying is.... if the grass is turning brown as a result of the height of cut how do you cut it that length without it turning brown.


You have to reset your HOC. So for example you want to cut at 1" you need to scalp it down to 1/2" then raise your mower back up to cut at 1".


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## MonroviaLawnCzar (Jun 1, 2019)

Ok. I've been practicing with a small 500 sq ft Bermuda patch because I'm about to sod entire front yard in Bermuda. I've been cutting at lowest setting on a push reel mower. So what you are saying is raise the height one notch from lowest and that should look better? Was trying to cut as low as possible but I will try the next setting up and see how it goes


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

MonroviaLawnCzar said:


> Ok. I've been practicing with a small 500 sq ft Bermuda patch because I'm about to sod entire front yard in Bermuda. I've been cutting at lowest setting on a push reel mower. So what you are saying is raise the height one notch from lowest and that should look better? Was trying to cut as low as possible but I will try the next setting up and see how it goes


Not meaning to butt in as @Durso81 seems to have this covered...with a rotary you may have to go 2 notches higher if your lawn is not very level. My rotary has notches and a space between them so going from the lowest setting count the space between notches as one and the next actual notch as two. Not sure what rotary you have but seems they tend to work that way. I can send a pic if it helps as Im not the best at explaining...


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## MonroviaLawnCzar (Jun 1, 2019)

Been using a push reel (16 inch Scott's)cutting daily or at least every other day. Thanks for the input will experiment and see what happens


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

1.) Scalp (as close to dirt as you can)
2.) Apply fertilizer
3.) water
4.) mow with a decent mower, more often.

I have yet to see anything approaching a satisfactory cut from a manual reel mower


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

I live on 1.2 ACRES and laid 30 pallets of sod. Mowing twice a week is going to be brutal, but if that's what I have to do then I guess that's the cross I now bare. I guess it's better than having St Augustin(which everyone has in my area) that requires significantly more water. Water was my primary reason for going with Bermuda. Watering 12,000+ Sq ft of St Augustine would have cost a fortune.


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

SCGrassMan said:


> 1.) Scalp (as close to dirt as you can)
> 2.) Apply fertilizer
> 3.) water
> 4.) mow with a decent mower, more often.
> ...


So I was right in thinking this is what I should do. Wish I had done that today when I mowed. We're supposed to get hammered with rain over the next couple of days.


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

Any recommendations on a good fertilizer? I don't want to just pick up the typical summer lawn fertilizer at Lowes unless that's what's best.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

I personally like Scott's Greenmax, but your mileage may vary.


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

nateredmon said:


> Any recommendations on a good fertilizer? I don't want to just pick up the typical summer lawn fertilizer at Lowes unless that's what's best.


Without a soil test it's hard to say what nutrients you need. But for your size yard I would look to see if you have a Ewing or site one by you. You can get so much more for less.

If not at Lowe's and home Depot don't get caught up with the brand name cause that's all it is. Bermuda likes nitrogen. Most of the stuff at big box stores is urea Polly coated. Unless you get something like 34-0-0. So just look for the best bang for your buck.


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## adgattoni (Oct 3, 2017)

nateredmon said:


> I live on 1.2 ACRES and laid 30 pallets of sod. Mowing twice a week is going to be brutal, but if that's what I have to do then I guess that's the cross I now bare. I guess it's better than having St Augustin(which everyone has in my area) that requires significantly more water. Water was my primary reason for going with Bermuda. Watering 12,000+ Sq ft of St Augustine would have cost a fortune.


It sounds like mowing is not a labor of love for you. I would get a tow behind sprayer and apply plant-growth regulator (T-nex is the most affordable) to the whole area, then mow your bermuda a bit higher (2-2.5 inches or so). Cut back on fertilizing to 0.75lb nitrogen per month to reduce vertical growth and replace it with a micronutrient blend like FEature for the color response.

You'd have to apply the PGR/FEature every 3 weeks or so, but that'd cut your mowing down to around weekly without the scalping like you are experiencing now.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

nateredmon said:


> I'm mowing about once every week to 10 days. God help me if I need to mow more often.


 :lol: :lol:


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

Durso81 said:


> nateredmon said:
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> > Any recommendations on a good fertilizer? I don't want to just pick up the typical summer lawn fertilizer at Lowes unless that's what's best.
> ...


I used some 13/13/13 earlier in the season and it greened up real good but didn't seem to grown much. I've got several areas where there are patches that need to spread and grow together. But if triple 13 is good, that stuff is really cheap to buy.


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

adgattoni said:


> nateredmon said:
> 
> 
> > I live on 1.2 ACRES and laid 30 pallets of sod. Mowing twice a week is going to be brutal, but if that's what I have to do then I guess that's the cross I now bare. I guess it's better than having St Augustin(which everyone has in my area) that requires significantly more water. Water was my primary reason for going with Bermuda. Watering 12,000+ Sq ft of St Augustine would have cost a fortune.
> ...


Quite honestly, I do enjoy mowing my yard. My friends tell me I'm crazy for not hiring the job out, but I just like to do it myself. So I guess it is a labor of love. But it's really big so I never invisioned mowing it twice a week.


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

I have Celebration Bermuda, it grows very fast when conditions are right...meaning its getting irrigation water/Rain, sun and fertilizer. It forms a rather thick mat and really needs to be verticut once a year.

You really need to scalp it low early in the year when its just waking up from the winter. You can certainly scalp now as it prime turf growing season. Put you mower on the lowest setting and bag all the clippings. It will look horrible for several weeks but will recover. Then put your mower on #2 setting and mow at that height and mow more often.


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

MrMeaner said:


> I have Celebration Bermuda, it grows very fast when conditions are right...meaning its getting irrigation water/Rain, sun and fertilizer. It forms a rather thick mat and really needs to be verticut once a year.
> 
> You really need to scalp it low early in the year when its just waking up from the winter. You can certainly scalp now as it prime turf growing season. Put you mower on the lowest setting and bag all the clippings. It will look horrible for several weeks but will recover. Then put your mower on #2 setting and mow at that height and mow more often.


I scalped it early in the season. Some time in March. I just didn't realize I needed to mow so often, so it's gotten tall. I'm in a situation where I either need to scalp it again and have it look like crap for a couple of weeks or just cut it tall for this season and start from scratch next season. I'm tempted to cut it tall in the front yard where it's seen by everyone but scalp the back yard. I can endure a couple of weeks back there where only I'll see it.


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

MrMeaner said:


> I have Celebration Bermuda, it grows very fast when conditions are right...meaning its getting irrigation water/Rain, sun and fertilizer. It forms a rather thick mat and really needs to be verticut once a year.
> 
> You really need to scalp it low early in the year when its just waking up from the winter. You can certainly scalp now as it prime turf growing season. Put you mower on the lowest setting and bag all the clippings. It will look horrible for several weeks but will recover. Then put your mower on #2 setting and mow at that height and mow more often.


Oh, and I don't have a bagger for my riding mower. I do have a mulch device that supposedly cuts all the clippings into finer pieces, but no bag....


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

nateredmon said:


> MrMeaner said:
> 
> 
> > I have Celebration Bermuda, it grows very fast when conditions are right...meaning its getting irrigation water/Rain, sun and fertilizer. It forms a rather thick mat and really needs to be verticut once a year.
> ...


Yes scalp It again at the lowest setting then move it 1 notch up and cut it at that level and cut it more often, at minimum 2 times per week. It won't take too long to recover, it you do it now you'll be all greened up by the end of june as long as you water, mow and fertilize properly. Mowing short and often will push the grass to grow outward in all directions and get super thick.


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## krevo81 (May 29, 2019)

nateredmon said:


> I live on 1.2 ACRES and laid 30 pallets of sod. Mowing twice a week is going to be brutal, but if that's what I have to do then I guess that's the cross I now bare. I guess it's better than having St Augustin(which everyone has in my area) that requires significantly more water. Water was my primary reason for going with Bermuda. Watering 12,000+ Sq ft of St Augustine would have cost a fortune.


Get a nice rider or ZT and enjoy the mow man. That 1.2 acre job is time away from the wife and kids!! :lol: But seriously - If I had more than 15k sq ft I'd be riding but thats just me. I get enough of a workout pushing a mower on 6k 2 times a week.


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

erdons said:


> nateredmon said:
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> > MrMeaner said:
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Sounds like a plan. But I still need a suggestion on a good fertilizer. Is triple 13 the right stuff?


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

krevo81 said:


> nateredmon said:
> 
> 
> > I live on 1.2 ACRES and laid 30 pallets of sod. Mowing twice a week is going to be brutal, but if that's what I have to do then I guess that's the cross I now bare. I guess it's better than having St Augustin(which everyone has in my area) that requires significantly more water. Water was my primary reason for going with Bermuda. Watering 12,000+ Sq ft of St Augustine would have cost a fortune.
> ...


Fortunately, we left a lot of the property in a natural state. As you can see in my original pic, we have tons of trees all around our house. So probably only 1/4 acre of grass to mow. And I do have a riding mower. And yes, anything I can do to get out of the house is a bonus. 😉


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

nateredmon said:


> erdons said:
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Without a soil test a balanced fertilizer is a good place to start. Six pounds per 1000 will get you right around .75 pounds of each macro.


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

TN Hawkeye said:


> nateredmon said:
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So 13/13/13 is pretty balanced I guess? Lol


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

nateredmon said:


> TN Hawkeye said:
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Yes. Anytime the 3 numbers are equal it is referred to as a balanced fertilizer. There are several different ones. 10-10-10, 13-13-13, 15-15-15, and so on. Without knowing what your soil needs it is usual ok to give it a little of each. However a soil test is the best way to know exactly what your soil needs.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

nateredmon said:


> TN Hawkeye said:
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That's what I use...


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

I love 13/13/13. Especially the price. Very cheap compared to the big name brands.


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

nateredmon said:


> erdons said:
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Yes 13-13-13 is fine, if you're feeling adventurous go with something with higher Nitrogen, either should be fine.


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## nateredmon (Sep 15, 2018)

erdons said:


> nateredmon said:
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And the first digit in the sequence represents the nitrogen, right?


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

Yes. N-P-K. Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium or Potash depending on who's saying it. Easy way to remember what each does is up, down, all around. Nitrogen boosts color and top growth. Phosphorus helps push root growth. And Potassium is for all around plant health. Thats why starter fert has a high P level. It is pushing root growth for new seedlings or sod.


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

Local to Lubbock - we use a 16-4-8 blended fertilizer with added iron and sulfur for our soils. The local distributor for golf courses, landscapers and pest control services all use them. I would get a soil test done and go from there.


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