# How to get a better cut with rotary?



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

I have a large yard and cut with Toro push mower and ZTR. Last year I had my HOC at 2.5 - 3" but this year I scalped at 1" then tried to maintain at 1.5". I really liked the look after a cut but had scalping issues in a few spots so I raised to 2". I don't like the way it looks as it seems puffy in spots and just not a clean cut in my opinion.

I have new and sharpened blades on both machines so maybe it's just the uneven lawn? Thoughts plz...


----------



## Gibby (Apr 3, 2018)

I would start with leveling with sand.


----------



## socerplaye (Jun 14, 2018)

I'm in the same boat as you. In the past, I maintained at 3-3.5" and this year I scalped at 1.5" and have tried to maintain at 1.75". I've got areas in my zoysia where I've scalped on slopes and a few halos in my bermuda in the back. I've considered going to 2" but it'll take time for the low spots to fill in to the same height as the higher spots I think. Planning on doing some leveling in June after we have a family function at the beginning of the month.


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Obviously a good sanding/leveling will help but if you say it seems a little puffy, I would recommend a nice heavy dethatching/verticutting to help remove all the built up stolons that are growing under the green grass that you can't see. I know it's something that you want to do in the Spring before green up but can actually be done anytime of the year that the grass is actively growing. It may take 2-3 weeks for it to fully recover but it should help reduce the scalping issue. I know you have a large lawn so you may want to do it in sections or wait till next year.


----------



## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

The Bermuda grass on my lawn tends to grow somewhat unevenly, and the irregular shape of the grass blades makes it naturally hard to keep it at a uniform height, unless you use a reel mower and keep the HOC low.

Right after I mow, the lawn looks very uniform in length, but within a few days it has the irregular growth from the shape of the blades show up. Part of it is it grows better in certain areas than in others, and part of it is the grass blades are just irregular.

I don't worry about it getting a little "puffy" when it grows out; I just use it as an indicator it is time to mow and level it out some.

When you do get it all fresh cut, it can look like green pile carpet; within a few days it looks more like shag carpet than pile carpet, so to speak.

As long as it looks better than the other yards in my neighborhood, I do not get too worried about it. In fact, I like the fact it looks natural and gets a little shaggy once it grows awhile.

Kind of like having a beard.... I tighten it up from time to time, but letting it grow and look a little bit wild is cool too!

I just don't get that obsessed with it being all the same length, but to each their own...!


----------



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

FlowRider said:


> The Bermuda grass on my lawn tends to grow somewhat unevenly, and the irregular shape of the grass blades make it naturally hard to keep it at a uniform height, unless you use a reel mower and keep the HOC low.
> 
> Right after I mow, the lawn looks very uniform in length, but within a few days it has the irregular growth from the shape of the blades show up. Part of it is it grows better in certain areas than in others, and part of it is the grass blades are just irregular.
> 
> ...


The pictures I posted on this thread are from today and I just cut on Monday :shock: Trust me Im not going to loose any sleep over it but maybe I was doing something wrong or could do better...


----------



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

What if I went back down to 1.5" cut and worked on the few scalp areas? If I recall correctly they were maybe 1' x 1' at best. Im assuming the scalped area is higher than the surrounding area so I could open the turf and remove just a tad bit of soil. If this is the dumbest idea ever that's fine as Im just throwing it out there to see what folks think or have done... :crazy:


----------



## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I think your yard looks great, personally...!

I am not a turf expert but I have been cutting grass most of my life, so I think a lot of it is environmental factors such as soil fertility differences, a little extra fertilizer and water landing here and there, lawn traffic, and natural growth pattern variations.

I used to cut tif Bermuda with a reel mower and you can keep it almost uniform, but it is the way a reel cuts (helical blade and straight bed knife to scissor cut) versus rotary (whirling machete) that makes the tops so even. If you're putting on it, reel mower is mandatory; if you're walking on it and playing on it, rotary works well enough, in my humble opinion.

My bride likes to remind me "we live in an imperfect world" (artists see things their own way, thankfully). I just don't think you can get all the varying environmental factors uniform enough unless you exert maximum efforts to control each aspect.

I just don't get that far down the rabbit hole. It's my yard, not the gardens at the Biltmore Estate, or the greens at Las Calinas, which are perfect, but have a small army of trained and skilled groundskeepers!

I just like looking at a nice lawn, walking on it barefoot, without killing myself to make it magazine cover quality....

You can get it there, but you are going to see your reel mower showing up in your dreams...because that is how much you'll be running it around!


----------



## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

ctrav said:


> What if I went back down to 1.5" cut and worked on the few scalp areas? If I recall correctly they were maybe 1' x 1' at best. Im assuming the scalped area is higher than the surrounding area so I could open the turf and remove just a tad bit of soil. If this is the dumbest idea ever that's fine as Im just throwing it out there to see what folks think or have done... :crazy:


I would just cut it a little lower next time, and then bump your HOC up 1/4" and see how that looks, first....

Beats digging any day! :thumbup:


----------



## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

If you're scalping to straight dirt or close to straight dirt, which is my definition of scalping then you probably need a leveling material to bring everything up on the same plane.

If you're just cutting into the 'bunch' or 'crown' of a mass/mound of grass, you may just need to continue doing that until the mass and adjacent masses fill the low areas...which you can somewhat force with top dressing.

Blades, not going to lie, I've been sold on Gator mulch blades for a few years now. I rotate 3 pairs in and out throughout the growing season. The thickness and width wont allow deflection in the blade at rpm when you're plowing through dense mass.

Hth.


----------



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Your point is well taken @RDZed! I am not hitting solid ground just crowns...I find this encouraging based on your comments...


----------



## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

ctrav said:


> Your point is well taken @RDZed! I am not hitting solid ground just crowns...I find this encouraging based on your comments...


Awesome. I honestly favored the second looking at the pics. Keep cutting it low, but not scalped, scalped. Eventually the adjacent rhizomes will root and swell the soil up close to the existing mass levels.


----------



## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

Was the lawn plugged or sodded recently? Like within the past say, 5 years? It happens often with plugs and sod while they're spreading, more so with plugs. Honestly, it happens here and there with my well established Bermuda also. Every so often my grass roots hit a vein of glorious whatever and blow up leaving the surrounding area looking less than desirable.


----------



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

@RDZed the front was soded 3 years ago and the back 2 years ago. I will scalp (my version of scalping) back to 1" as this is the lowest my rotary will go and then maintain as close to 1.5" as that's the lowest my rider will go. I do have Gator blades on both mowers and I do like them better than the stock blades!!

Now if you look at my journal you can see I have this one really bad (getting better) trouble area out from which was sanded and aerated back on April 19th. Since that area is still struggling to pop thru the sand in spots should I not scalp there and just cut at 2" for now?? Here's a couple of picks from when I sanded and two days ago...


----------



## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

ctrav said:


> @RDZed the front was soded 3 years ago and the back 2 years ago. I will scalp (my version of scalping) back to 1" as this is the lowest my rotary will go and then maintain as close to 1.5" as that's the lowest my rider will go. I do have Gator blades on both mowers and I do like them better than the stock blades!!
> 
> Now if you look at my journal you can see I have this one really bad (getting better) trouble area out from which was sanded and aerated back on April 19th. Since that area is still struggling to pop thru the sand in spots should I not scalp there and just cut at 2" for now?? Here's a couple of picks from when I sanded and two days ago...


Honestly dude, you're on the right path with that trouble spot. Give that Bermuda a chance to pop its head out of the sand. Keep at your happy mow height right there and give it time. Once it hits 90+ degrees, that s--- will blow out of there and go ape.

I just last week top dressed a few low spots from decaying tree roots with a 50/50 screened topsoil/sand mix and it's already 70% covered. Bermuda is unbelievably forgiving.


----------



## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

Personally, I think the word 'scalping' has become grey within the past few years. To me, scalping is blade to dirt contact or really close, within 1/8 inch. Some of the big tubeyou guys mow down to 1/2-5/8" and call it. That's not an honest scalp. Scalping, to me is to get rid of thatch and detritus to expose the actual soil to UV and heat. Soil temp is boss.


----------



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Will do @RDZed... Your reply provide tremendous encouragement :thumbup: :thumbup:


----------



## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

ctrav said:


> Will do @RDZed... Your reply provide tremendous encouragement :thumbup: :thumbup:


Yeah man. Keep us up on the progress.


----------

