# Advice on lowering my grass height



## Lawn_newbie (Jun 19, 2018)

The lawn is Bermuda cut at 2.5". What would be the ideal approach to getting the grass down to 1"?

Should I fertilizer heavy before I start cutting lower, water after cutting, how much time between the new cut, etc... I have searched and not been able to find anything advice on doing this.. Also, if it is possible to just go low and deal with it looking like garbage for a couple weeks I am ok, with that.


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## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

I am in the same boat. My suggestion is to cut every day right now even if you stay at 2.5". Get some fert. down and gradually lower that blade.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

So I would say, one if you are able to cut at 1" with your mower and level of lawn,

You'll need to abide by the 1/3 rule, so I would scalp it down to atleast ,5 inch and then toss some fertilizer and a bunch of water in it. Let
It grow in, and give it a cut when it's around an inch or so,

It'll look like crap for two weeks probably, but don't worry. You didn't kill it! Don't step down. Just go below it and allow it to grow up to your wanted HOC. Ugly once, not all summer!


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

randy said:


> I am in the same boat. My suggestion is to cut every day right now even if you stay at 2.5". Get some fert. down and gradually lower that blade.


Gradual height down does nothing good.

Chop it down, let it grow. If you keep going lower slowly it'll always scalp it. It'll never recover and will look like garbage and stress out. Scalp below your desired height and let it grow up back to it.


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## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

Thanks. I'll adjust the plan for myself as well. I'm always afraid that if I cut to brown, it will all die.


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## Jimefam (Jun 22, 2018)

Interesting. I had assumed that gradual cutting down to the desired hoc was better then going from say 3.5" to 1" all of the sudden


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## raldridge2315 (Jul 1, 2017)

You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.


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## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

raldridge2315 said:


> You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.


A new stand of it certainly could IMO. Maybe it would take the right conditions and one could argue it wasn't the mower alone... and maybe it would take more than one mowing, but i'm almost certain I could kill a new stand with the mower.


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## raldridge2315 (Jul 1, 2017)

randy said:


> raldridge2315 said:
> 
> 
> > You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.
> ...


This is the only mention of new grass throughout the thread. I would agree that if a blade is in such bad condition as to rip the new grass out of the ground, that it will probably die. But if there is any green left and it's still rooted, it will live with water and sunshine. Beyond that, I'll stick with what I said and just leave it to what ever you think.


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

To my understanding you want to scalp it down below the height of cut you want to maintain. Or else you will always see brown when you cut. So for example if you want to maintain at 1" you would need to scalp it probably down at least too 3/4".


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

raldridge2315 said:


> You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.


Quote of the day. :thumbup:


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## raymond (May 4, 2018)

Ware said:


> raldridge2315 said:
> 
> 
> > You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.
> ...


 :lol:

And I agree with lowering the HOC below the maintenance HOC for the initial scalp cut :thumbup:


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

:mrgreen:

https://youtu.be/yyomc_0oIK8


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

Ware said:


>


+1. Mowing bermuda *below* ground level won't kill it, it will actually improve it.


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## wardconnor (Mar 25, 2017)

raldridge2315 said:


> You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.


Lawn mower? I thought you could not kill bermuda grass period.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

wardconnor said:


> Lawn mower? I thought you could not kill bermuda grass period.


It's only kryptonite is shade.


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

Ware said:


> :mrgreen:


Your a lawn nerd if you look at that video and ask.

I wonder if I could have those stolons? Are they just gonna throw that away?


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## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

How long would it take to come back from this?



Ware said:


> :mrgreen:


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

One month or less. Not cutting Bermuda or Zoysia down to the dirt just increases the work and prolongs the time it looks ugly vs cutting it completely down. Convention is to take off just a little at a time. When you constantly mow but not at the low height, it causes the remaining layer to really thicken up. I cuss everyone who mows consistently and frequently but not low enough then hands over the lawn to me to deal with thatch/grain, uneven ground. Because their frequent high mowing has created a god awful layer of thick grass and thatch for me to strip off.


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## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

@Greendoc LOL. That's me! So let's say I already put down a PGR. Is it too late to scalp?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

In NC, maybe. When does your grass go dormant for the year. I would be inclined to ride it out this year. Do it right next year and get rid of that rotary!!!!!!!!!


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## raldridge2315 (Jul 1, 2017)

wardconnor said:


> raldridge2315 said:
> 
> 
> > You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.
> ...


The only thing I know of that will kill bermuda is shade.


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## raldridge2315 (Jul 1, 2017)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJu4cfbE0EY


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I can see the thatch build up. Mow often but not low enough and that is what happens.


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## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

September it starts slowing growth significantly and then October it's usually brown. This is really only my second full summer here though and last year I wasn't paying too much attention.



Greendoc said:


> In NC, maybe. When does your grass go dormant for the year. I would be inclined to ride it out this year. Do it right next year and get rid of that rotary!!!!!!!!!


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

You have a full month of recovery. Up to you. If you deal with it this year there is less for you to clean up next year.


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## Lawn_newbie (Jun 19, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> You have a full month of recovery. Up to you. If you deal with it this year there is less for you to clean up next year.


That is my feeling exactly. I want to knock out as much as I can this year. There is no benefit to waiting until next year.


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## Brou (Jun 18, 2020)

Greendoc said:


> You have a full month of recovery. Up to you. If you deal with it this year there is less for you to clean up next year.


Hey @Greendoc. I hate to revive an old thread but don't want to start a new one to ask a question relevant to something being discussed here.

Going back to the PGR before scalp question...I put down .25/1k t-nex on the 12th. Bought a reel mower yesterday, so obviously I want to scalp it and start cutting at 1" (or slightly less). I'm in North Carolina and based on last year the grass should grow until October (and probably have a couple of greenups in November).

Does being in regulation change any of the normal scalping concerns? Perhaps it would be best to maintain a HOC of 1 3/8" until I'm out of regulation?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

What I would do is let the grass come out of the TNex you applied on the 12th. Scalp down and enjoy the rebound that happens when you let grass come out of TNex. Not sure of what kind of Bermuda you have, but 1/2-3/4" is not a bad height for it. You will not have a problem keeping that HOC if you maintain regulation.


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## Brou (Jun 18, 2020)

Greendoc said:


> What I would do is let the grass come out of the TNex you applied on the 12th. Scalp down and enjoy the rebound that happens when you let grass come out of TNex. Not sure of what kind of Bermuda you have, but 1/2-3/4" is not a bad height for it. You will not have a problem keeping that HOC if you maintain regulation.


Hehe, that's what I figured you'd say. I went ahead and cut it at 1 3/8" today. I'll keep that up until the PGR is done then I'll do as you suggested. I'm only at 40 GDD now so I've got a few more mows to go.


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## gonefishn2010 (Jun 15, 2020)

I once killed 20,000 square feet of Bermuda with a drop of .05 fl oz of a Chuck Norris tear.


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