# Best Way to Lower HOC without Scalping



## ThickLawnThickWife (Jul 23, 2018)

Hello everyone 
My area has gotten a lot of rain over the last week so my Bermuda has really taken off on top of the fact that it had been almost 6 days since my last cut. I finally got a chance to cut it on Sunday but the only problem was that I had to raise my HOC to almost 2.5 inches to avoid scalping. Before the rain and extended time in between mowing I had been keeping my HOC at about 2~inches. How can I get it back down to 2 inches without destroying my lawn. Thanks in advance for any info.


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## smurg (May 30, 2018)

Level your lawn with sand . The only way.

Although it's getting into the summer, the scalp shouldn't last too long before greening back up.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Joys of Bermuda. Smurg is right...and using a groomer regularly would help too. (Open up canopy - air, water, sun)


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

Lower the HOC very little and you won't scalp it, otherwise go all in with the scalp and let it green up, that's what I would do.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

ThickLawnThickWife said:


> Hello everyone
> My area has gotten a lot of rain over the last week so my Bermuda has really taken off on top of the fact that it had been almost 6 days since my last cut. I finally got a chance to cut it on Sunday but the only problem was that I had to raise my HOC to almost 2.5 inches to avoid scalping. Before the rain and extended time in between mowing I had been keeping my HOC at about 2~inches. How can I get it back down to 2 inches without destroying my lawn. Thanks in advance for any info.


You got a Timemaster so you were probably on E setting before the rain? Only thing you can really do is mow it at E and then mow it again at F. Then raise it back up to E for your next cut. It's gonna look rough but it will recover.


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

It's just the way Bermuda grows there is no way around it. To reset the HOC you need to cut at a lower setting then raise your mower back up to the HOC you want to maintain.


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## ThickLawnThickWife (Jul 23, 2018)

Thanks for the responses everyone. After I scalp it should hit with a heavy dose of fert to push the green up process or just let it heal on its own? I have more rain in the forecast so I think I will scalp it right before the rain.


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## ThickLawnThickWife (Jul 23, 2018)

TN Hawkeye said:


> ThickLawnThickWife said:
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> 
> > Hello everyone
> ...


You are exactly right. I have been cutting on E and it looked great. I could never go down to F just because the yard is uneven. I am genuinely dreading scalping because it is the greenest it has ever been. I am contemplating just leaving it at 2.5 inches.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

ThickLawnThickWife said:


> TN Hawkeye said:
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> 
> > ThickLawnThickWife said:
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I feel you. I bottomed out quite a few times when scalping it on F. It may be a worthwhile venture for you as it could show you some spots to do a spot leveling. Worst case you take it down to E and it looks like crap then just stay at D for the season.


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## WDE46 (Mar 11, 2019)

I had a pretty bad cut two weeks ago. Scalped tons of areas. I was trying a new direction to see if it would work with 1" HOC. It recovered fully already. A lot is due to the rain, but you can water it if it's bad and get it to come back. Peak season!


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

ThickLawnThickWife said:


> Thanks for the responses everyone. After I scalp it should hit with a heavy dose of fert to push the green up process or just let it heal on its own? I have more rain in the forecast so I think I will scalp it right before the rain.


Scalp it, throw down a nice fast release nitrogen, and let the rain water it in. One to two weeks and you'll be back in business. But for those two weeks you may have to change your handle to thinlawnthickwife.


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

TN Hawkeye said:


> ThickLawnThickWife said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the responses everyone. After I scalp it should hit with a heavy dose of fert to push the green up process or just let it heal on its own? I have more rain in the forecast so I think I will scalp it right before the rain.
> ...


😂 LMAO


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## ThickLawnThickWife (Jul 23, 2018)

TN Hawkeye said:


> ThickLawnThickWife said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the responses everyone. After I scalp it should hit with a heavy dose of fert to push the green up process or just let it heal on its own? I have more rain in the forecast so I think I will scalp it right before the rain.
> ...


Lol that's funny!!


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## ThickLawnThickWife (Jul 23, 2018)

I went outside with the intention to scalp it but I just couldn't....but I definitely will. As I walked through the lawn while cutting I could tell that its not used to being that tall. It didn't seem to spring back up where I stepped in the grass.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

ThickLawnThickWife said:


> I went outside with the intention to scalp it but I just couldn't....but I definitely will. As I walked through the lawn while cutting I could tell that its not used to being that tall. It didn't seem to spring back up where I stepped in the grass.


Last spring I set out to "scalp" my lawn. I set my mower to 2.25" and basically shat myself the entire time. I thought I was killing my lawn. Looking back now I wish I would have made it cry mother. You can't mow too low with Bermuda. Go low until you need a diaper and then go one notch lower. 3 months from now you will think "What the hell was I worried about."


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Just do it! You will be so glad in the end. I was so nervous my first time and now Im like oh well. Even after making a mistake on what I thought my reel mower was set at and I ended up scalping a section down to 4/16 when I thought I was set at 1/2". Sure the section is brown and ugly but in 2-3 weeks it will be a lovely green and thicker! Plus with the rain you have coming a scalp would have been very timely with mother natures free gift of water...


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

2 inches and higher sound like WAY too high for Bermuda. Knock it down until you hit dirt then bump up one setting to maintain.


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## ThickLawnThickWife (Jul 23, 2018)

Redtwin said:


> 2 inches and higher sound like WAY too high for Bermuda. Knock it down until you hit dirt then bump up one setting to maintain.


Unfortunately my lawn is level enough to cut super low.


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