# Rookie!!



## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

First off, thank you for taking the time to read this long post. I am very new to lawn care but am really starting to enjoy this new hobby!

So I had new construction Bermuda sod laid in March. When I first mowed, I mowed at 1.75". I've pretty much been mowing at the same height since. I didn't scalp and honestly didn't really understand what scalping is and what it did. Anyways, now that we're in the summer I have noticed the stalks are about the same height as my green grass. Is my best option to just raise my Toro rotary mower to 2.25" and finish out the season? And just deal with all the stalks next year? I really don't want to scalp now because the sod is still fairly new. I thought maybe I give it a year to settle in and go through the seasons before next spring. Then I'll be able to scalp and hopefully cut lower than 1.75". Is this the best plan of action?

Next year I'll really have a better grasp on what I'm doing. I've learned a lot just by reading this forum. It's only the past couple of months that I've been mowing 2x a week, trying to get 1" of water with my tuna cans, and hand pulling weeds. I did put down my first application of 10-10-10 fertilizer ever in June. I plan on doing that again next week.

Thank you for any and all advice. I really appreciate any help on taking care of new Bermuda sod within the first year.


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## Necrosis (Jul 12, 2018)

Yes raising the high of the cut is probably the best plan. Then reset it next year in early spring. Summer scalps are hardwork.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

If it's well rooted you would be fine to do a HOC reset to your lowest setting. There's nothing wrong with bumping up to 2.25" and waiting until next season either. I'd personally do the HOC reset since there is so much season left. Knock it down to the lowest setting and then start maintaining on the second lowest setting. Mowing it low and often will also help it fill in and thicken up.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Thank you. I think I needed some assurance and hear from a more qualified individual.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Thank you guys both! This forum is already helpful. I thought about doing the reset but am nervous on what it will look like. I definitely have a choice to make. I appreciate both sides.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Your wife and neighbors will think you're nuts for about a week and then you will be the hero.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Redtwin said:


> Your wife and neighbors will think you're nuts for about a week and then you will be the hero.


That's the thing. Some of these yards are already looking rough. My reset would fit right in! Maybe I try it in the back first and get some confidence. Plus we have high heat expected, so it might take a little bit to bounce back.


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## WillyT (Jun 26, 2019)

Redtwin said:


> Your wife and neighbors will think you're nuts for about a week and then you will be the hero.


This is true, it will be ugly and will hurt but will bounce back. On a previous house, I took my new sod down to .5 inch in the first summer it was installed and it woke up first compared to neighbors the next spring.


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## Necrosis (Jul 12, 2018)

Redtwin said:


> Your wife and neighbors will think you're nuts for about a week and then you will be the hero.


Haha, so true.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

WillyT said:


> Redtwin said:
> 
> 
> > Your wife and neighbors will think you're nuts for about a week and then you will be the hero.
> ...


.5 wow! Lowest I can go is 1.25 on my Toro. However, I know I would hit some high spots and go down to dirt-is this OK? The more I talk about it the more I just want to go for it!


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Post photos!


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## Sonoran Desert Lawn (Aug 22, 2020)

Necrosis said:


> Yes raising the high of the cut is probably the best plan. Then reset it next year in early spring. Summer scalps are no fun.


Amen. Even with a 10 blade, my manual mower is a BEAST to scalp with in the summer!


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Redtwin said:


> Post photos!












Take it easy on me please. This is my first lawn. I am willing to learn and listen to the best though!

I will say some of the bare spots you see I had to dig up and found plywood and other debris. I am just hoping the Bermuda will spread over them eventually. I am also learning the tuna can watering way. I still need to work on that, I know.


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## cbagz (May 12, 2020)

Drop it like it's hot. The grass has plenty of time to recover. Go low it'll be ok


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

cbagz said:


> Drop it like it's hot. The grass has plenty of time to recover. Go low it'll be ok


I'm leaning towards it. I just know if I go my lowest at 1.25 I'm gonna hit dirt in the high spots. Then when I maintain at my 1.75 that's still cutting it close. That slope is rough in spots!


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## cbagz (May 12, 2020)

It'll level itself out. Trust the process


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

cbagz said:


> It'll level itself out. Trust the process


Alright! I really appreciate all the feedback from everyone so far.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

Scalp scalp scalp!

Next year scalp with a reel and dump tons of sand on it. :lol: this hobby can become addicting


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

rjw0283 said:


> Scalp scalp scalp!
> 
> Next year scalp with a reel and dump tons of sand on it. :lol: this hobby can become addicting


Haha! It sure sounds like it. This forum is already addicting! Sanding will be my first big project that I'll tackle next spring. Maybe I could just rent a reel mower to do the scalp. The end game is definitely to get into reel mowing. I think I've got a ways to go before that though.


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## cbagz (May 12, 2020)

Coop22 said:


> rjw0283 said:
> 
> 
> > Scalp scalp scalp!
> ...


I haven't found any reel mowers in my area for rent and I've got a couple good friends in the rental business. Might have to break down and buy a manual reel to start with.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I'm going to just pile on with what everyone else has said here and say go for it and scalp it at your lowest setting. Make sure to bag everything and maybe even go in 2 directions to make sure everything is nice and even. It shouldn't take long to do as your lawn is not very large. After scalping raise your mower deck one notch and sharpen the blade. Apply the 10-10-10 you have and put down 5lbs of fertilizer/M. Water all that in really well and then just make sure to water every 2-3 days and within 1-2 weeks you will have a nice green lawn to admire. You should probably start mowing once you start seeing some uniform green on the lawn. You also will need to plan on mowing at least twice a week to in order to help maintain your HOC longer.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

cbagz said:


> Coop22 said:
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> > rjw0283 said:
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Good to know. Thanks for the heads up. I think I could handle a manual reel with my yard size. That's probably the better investment anyways.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Mightyquinn said:


> I'm going to just pile on with what everyone else has said here and say go for it and scalp it at your lowest setting. Make sure to bag everything and maybe even go in 2 directions to make sure everything is nice and even. It shouldn't take long to do as your lawn is not very large. After scalping raise your mower deck one notch and sharpen the blade. Apply the 10-10-10 you have and put down 5lbs of fertilizer/M. Water all that in really well and then just make sure to water every 2-3 days and within 1-2 weeks you will have a nice green lawn to admire. You should probably start mowing once you start seeing some uniform green on the lawn. You also will need to plan on mowing at least twice a week to in order to help maintain your HOC longer.


Yes sir. I like this. It definitely seems like the majority is saying scalp as low as I can go with my rotary. I was worried with the new sod and unevenness. I'm more and more sold hearing from all of you. Twice a week mow won't be a problem. Thank you!


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Coop22 said:


> Mightyquinn said:
> 
> 
> > I'm going to just pile on with what everyone else has said here and say go for it and scalp it at your lowest setting. Make sure to bag everything and maybe even go in 2 directions to make sure everything is nice and even. It shouldn't take long to do as your lawn is not very large. After scalping raise your mower deck one notch and sharpen the blade. Apply the 10-10-10 you have and put down 5lbs of fertilizer/M. Water all that in really well and then just make sure to water every 2-3 days and within 1-2 weeks you will have a nice green lawn to admire. You should probably start mowing once you start seeing some uniform green on the lawn. You also will need to plan on mowing at least twice a week to in order to help maintain your HOC longer.
> ...


I'm going to elaborate on @Mightyquinn's advice to say that once you bump your HOC up to the next notch, be sure to start mowing even before it looks like it needs to be mowed and keep mowing even when it doesn't need it. You'll be surprised at how you think your are not cutting anything off and at the end your bag is half full of clippings. That's how it should be. My favorite expression is if your wife doesn't say, "Didn't you just mow?" then you are not mowing enough.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Redtwin said:


> Coop22 said:
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> > Mightyquinn said:
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I can do this. I'll make sure to keep it up too. I feel like I'm on getting on the right path now. It's definitely worth the small amount of work I've put in so far, I know all of this will pay off. Thanks for the help!


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

Check FB marketplace daily. You never know when a deal will be on there. If you are mechanically inclined it opens your options up.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

Mow mow mow! My front gets mowed every 3 days usually and I am on growth regulator. My rotary mowed backyard needs to be mowed every 5 days and is regulated also. I went 7 days and it was scalping and had to raise HOC a notch.


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## TulsaFan (May 1, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> I'm going to just pile on with what everyone else has said here and say go for it and scalp it at your lowest setting. Make sure to bag everything and maybe even go in 2 directions to make sure everything is nice and even. It shouldn't take long to do as your lawn is not very large. After scalping raise your mower deck one notch and sharpen the blade. Apply the 10-10-10 you have and put down 5lbs of fertilizer/M. Water all that in really well and then just make sure to water every 2-3 days and within 1-2 weeks you will have a nice green lawn to admire. You should probably start mowing once you start seeing some uniform green on the lawn. You also will need to plan on mowing at least twice a week to in order to help maintain your HOC longer.


So, I pretty much did what @Mightyquinn recommended two weeks ago (minus the fertilizer rate as I was scalping zoysia). My neighbor comes out and says, "Why would you do that in the middle of June. Do you think it can recover?"

Of course, two weeks later I have the greenest lawn in the neighborhood. 

FWIW...Renting a reel mower in Oklahoma means that you buy a used, reel mower in the fall and resell it after your spring scalp. Most times, you make money doing this!


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

rjw0283 said:


> Mow mow mow! My front gets mowed every 3 days usually and I am on growth regulator. My rotary mowed backyard needs to be mowed every 5 days and is regulated also. I went 7 days and it was scalping and had to raise HOC a notch.


Will do. I'm learning the discipline of mowing that's for sure. It's a lot easier when you enjoy it! And thanks for the advice on FB marketplace. That seems to be a good go-to for lawn equipment.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

Just check it every few days, so you can figure out what the market is before you commit. I got my old flex 21 for 450 right before COVID shot up the market on used reels (and everything else)


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

TulsaFan said:


> Mightyquinn said:
> 
> 
> > I'm going to just pile on with what everyone else has said here and say go for it and scalp it at your lowest setting. Make sure to bag everything and maybe even go in 2 directions to make sure everything is nice and even. It shouldn't take long to do as your lawn is not very large. After scalping raise your mower deck one notch and sharpen the blade. Apply the 10-10-10 you have and put down 5lbs of fertilizer/M. Water all that in really well and then just make sure to water every 2-3 days and within 1-2 weeks you will have a nice green lawn to admire. You should probably start mowing once you start seeing some uniform green on the lawn. You also will need to plan on mowing at least twice a week to in order to help maintain your HOC longer.
> ...


I needed to hear this especially coming from another Okie.  I'm think I'm gonna have to go heavy on the water at first with this 100+ heat when I do it.

And just going out and doing it I think I can learn real quick how my yard holds up and recovers. I'm still a little worried about going down to dirt in spots. I know that will probably take longer for the grass to fill in. But it will make me have to trust the process.

And I've seen some advice on just buying a manual reel mower. I'll probably end up doing that next year to help scalp. Then eventually I could use that for my mower. After sand and leveling of course! I appreciate all the input. Being a newbie to lawn care and this forum will help out a lot.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

rjw0283 said:


> Just check it every few days, so you can figure out what the market is before you commit. I got my old flex 21 for 450 right before COVID shot up the market on used reels (and everything else)


Nice! Perfect timing! I think since I'm so new I may just buy me a manual reel and get use to that. My yard isn't big, I'm hoping it won't be too hard on me. Plus it might give me an idea what to expect on sanding and leveling too. Once I have a little more experience and confidence on lawn care I'll get there.


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## MGC (Jun 4, 2017)

Coop22 said:


> rjw0283 said:
> 
> 
> > Mow mow mow! My front gets mowed every 3 days usually and I am on growth regulator. My rotary mowed backyard needs to be mowed every 5 days and is regulated also. I went 7 days and it was scalping and had to raise HOC a notch.
> ...


happy hunting on facebook marketplace im realizing its tough to get a " great buy " on FB marketplace for a reel mower sure there is wore out stuff on it but a decent entry level power reel at a fair price is usually snapped up by resellers to turn a profit i reside in the same state and watch it close in OKLA. and the dallas area and if one does pop up u better be in your truck to get it its like people buying at a garage sale to resale, still using my lawnboy and manual reel for now ... all the best


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

MGC said:


> Coop22 said:
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> > rjw0283 said:
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Thanks man. I didn't realize it was that crazy to get your hands on a reel mower. Are you satisfied with your manual reel? You like the results? I'm leaning heavy towards that route.


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## gonefishn2010 (Jun 15, 2020)

I have scalped my lawn down from 1" to .5" mid afternoon 115 degree Arizona heat. Then I put anywhere from .5" - 2". of sand on top and leveled it. The deeper spots took over a month but most of it was back and looking better than ever after about 2.5 weeks.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

gonefishn2010 said:


> I have scalped my lawn down from 1" to .5" mid afternoon 115 degree Arizona heat. Then I put anywhere from .5" - 2". of sand on top and leveled it. The deeper spots took over a month but most of it was back and looking better than ever after about 2.5 weeks.


That's some work. Let me ask this. I don't plan on doing any leveling or sanding this first year with my new sod. If I still do this 1.25 scalp/reset should I expect any problems or issues? The lawn is still rough in spots from new construction. I am nervous about that.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

Problems? You will probably get your mower stuck in ruts and you will probably get really dirty.
You will probably have.a lot of clippings and it will be a pain in the *** to bag them or whatever you do with them.
For lawn problems it should be fine, it will take longer to recover in the spots you hit dirt.
If you could kill Bermuda by scalping we would all have dirt for yards.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

rjw0283 said:


> Problems? You will probably get your mower stuck in ruts and you will probably get really dirty.
> You will probably have.a lot of clippings and it will be a pain in the @ss to bag them or whatever you do with them.
> For lawn problems it should be fine, it will take longer to recover in the spots you hit dirt.
> If you could kill Bermuda by scalping we would all have dirt for yards.


Yes definitely lawn wise. I don't mind the dirt, heat and sweat. I'll for sure be bagging the clippings. Maybe go over it twice. I just know those dirt spots I'm afraid of. They will give me the problems. You got a good point on scalping though.

Grass looks better now that it's higher and green. It will be hard to see that go.


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## MGC (Jun 4, 2017)

Coop22 said:


> MGC said:
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> > Coop22 said:
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im fine with a power reel that needs some work but not some old clapped out mower those types pop up alot on FB , prices have ballooned from a year ago that's for sure , as far as a manual reel goes imo much cleaner cut than a rotary they definitely have limitations thick turf will get a wavy effect on the lawn ( manual reel just cant spin as fast and weigh less than a powered unit hence it will float some on top of a thick lawn) unless you cross cut different directions, they only cut grass not weeds set the bedknife to reel correct and its much better if your not in good shape you will be pushing the manual especially in high heat days they do have an advantage you can mow at first light and no one will know ur mowing if u have neighbors , i went with the 7 blade earthwise with the rear roller not the wheels it does pretty good , you could consider the 24volt sun joe cordless reel a little over 200 bucks they are light weight its reported the reel can bend fairly easy if it hits the stray mulch chip but seems its easily repairable plenty of mods on u tube to make the sunjoe better as in everything pros and cons ... cheers


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

MGC said:


> Coop22 said:
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> > MGC said:
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This helps me a lot. I'll be doing some research now. Thanks for the time and info.


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## cbagz (May 12, 2020)

We are still waiting on pics of the scalping


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

cbagz said:


> We are still waiting on pics of the scalping


Sunday is the day. Plus I plan I putting down the 10-10-10 right after and getting my sprinklers on it. That's the best day for me. And next week is a good week for me to watch it closely and hope I didn't screw everything up!

I will for sure post pictures!


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

I will admit I'm nervous to do this. The sods only 4 months old and I'm gonna be tearing into it. A part of me is thinking just wait until next spring and scalp. The other part is saying go for it. If this really makes a difference and I get the results I'm hoping for, then I'll be hooked.


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## Twodollarblue (May 26, 2020)

Coop22 said:


> I will admit I'm nervous to do this. The sods only 4 months old and I'm gonna be tearing into it. A part of me is thinking just wait until next spring and scalp. The other part is saying go for it. If this really makes a difference and I get the results I'm hoping for, then I'll be hooked.


I've torn in to six week old sod with a scalp/leveling. Mine was zoysia and it recovered. I would think your Bermuda will have zero issues coming back fast.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

You're going to be amazed at the difference and wonder why you ever had any concerns.


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## Twodollarblue (May 26, 2020)

To give you a little confidence @Coop22…..and I have the worlds slowest growing zoysia.

New sod laid May 3, 2020


Scalped and leveled on June 13, 2020


July 16, 2020


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Redtwin said:


> You're going to be amazed at the difference and wonder why you ever had any concerns.


I'm betting on this.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Twodollarblue said:


> To give you a little confidence @Coop22…..and I have the worlds slowest growing zoysia.
> 
> New sod laid May 3, 2020
> 
> ...


That helps me a lot. That looks awesome! Great work and turn out! I think I'm just more concerned on how bad it's going to look at first. I needed to see this though. Thanks for sharing.


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## cbagz (May 12, 2020)

June 21, 2022 brand new tif tuf


July 2, 2022 after only getting water since it was laid down. I cut it with the rotary at 1" then added some 25-25-4 and watered it in.


July 6, 2022 needs to be cut but afternoon rain showers are messing up my plans.

I want to level this month but not sure I can get it done.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

cbagz said:


> June 21, 2022 brand new tif tuf
> 
> 
> July 2, 2022 after only getting water since it was laid down. I cut it with the rotary at 1" then added some 25-25-4 and watered it in.
> ...


That's coming in real nice. Just reading everyone's journals and seeing pictures I don't think I can really hurt the grass. But I'm not doing any sanding or leveling before this scalp. Think I'll still be alright? Or do I need to go buy a bag of play sand and hand fill in some low spots? I'm planning on next season for the leveling and sanding.


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## Humbert810 (8 mo ago)

Coop22 said:


> cbagz said:
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> > June 21, 2022 brand new tif tuf
> ...


Usually you will scalp before the level. That way the sand makes it down to the soil easier when watered afterwards. From what I see this is the normal process

1. Scalp
2. Core Aerate and clean up cores
3. Apply N
4. Sand Level
5. Water!

I may be backwards on the order of 3 and 4


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Thanks @Humbert810 
I don't know much but I bet your process is right. I'm not to the point of aerating and doing all the sanding and leveling yet. I need a little more experience under my belt. Just scalping in the summer hopefully will get me in the right direction. Thanks again!


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## Humbert810 (8 mo ago)

Coop22 said:


> Thanks @Humbert810
> I don't know much but I bet your process is right. I'm not to the point of aerating and doing all the sanding and leveling yet. I need a little more experience under my belt. Just scalping in the summer hopefully will get me in the right direction. Thanks again!


I am planning to scalp mine this weekend with the help of @Redtwin and his GM1000. Going to take my common down to .5" so I can maintain HOC at 1" with my rotary. Then I plan to get my own GM1000 or 1600 this winter and do a .25" scalp next summer, aerate, sand level and sprig a hybrid!


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Humbert810 said:


> Coop22 said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks @Humbert810
> ...


That's awesome. I saw your journal. Yard is looking great. You turned that around for sure. Impressive! Keep it up!

I'd like to eventually get to reel mowing even if it's just a manual reel. I'm only going to scalp to 1.25 then maintain 1.75 the rest of this year. Next year I want to scalp lower and mow at 1.25 with my rotary. I may only being able to do it in the front since the back is rough!


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## Humbert810 (8 mo ago)

Coop22 said:


> Humbert810 said:
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Thanks I am still on the fence with common vs hybrid. Many people tell me I can make the common look very good and I was just looking at @Boy_meets_lawn 's journal and it seems he is maintaining common at 5/8" and it looks phenomenal. If I can get this common to fill in like his and maintain at 5/8" I wouldn't even bother switching to a hybrid


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## Boy_meets_lawn (Sep 27, 2020)

To be fair I'm pretty sure mine is 419 with true common mixed in. It's definitely not a thin bladed hybrid and the node spacing is pretty far apart. You can definitely get common down to around 0.5" with pgr and have it be the best yard in your neighborhood. You should talk to @JLavoe about his common to seeded improved Bermuda renovation.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Boy_meets_lawn said:


> To be fair I'm pretty sure mine is 419 with true common mixed in. It's definitely not a thin bladed hybrid and the node spacing is pretty far apart. You can definitely get common down to around 0.5" with pgr and have it be the best yard in your neighborhood. You should talk to @JLavoe about his common to seeded improved Bermuda renovation.


Good to know. Your lawn looks great by the way.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

All in days work.

Scalped both front and back to 1.25". First scalp ever for me. Plan on maintaining 1.75" for the rest of the season. The back looks rough. So many bumps and low spots. I want to sand and level next year. I'll probably do the front first and then work on the back. Maybe some of these pictures will help point out the low spots when that time comes. I did spread the 10-10-10 and now I got my sprinklers running. Takes a good 5 hours to be able to get 1/2" of water down for both the front and back. I'll just be adjusting the sprinklers the rest of the day.

I am glad I did this. Hopefully I did the right thing. I'm still open to hearing thoughts, opinions and suggestions based on my pictures.

Thank you all for the previous replies too.


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## cbagz (May 12, 2020)

Congrats.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

cbagz said:


> Congrats.


Haha thanks. The journey has begun. I'm gonna try and stick around and learn as much as I can.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

I don't mean to keep bringing this thread back up. I will try and make sure this is the last time.

I need some assurance or advice. I feel like I made a mistake.

I scalped on Sunday and fertilized and watered. Also watered again on Wednesday. I sharpened my blade and mowed one notch higher today (4 days since scalp). It was starting to get longer in the green areas. I went ahead and mowed the whole yard but I'm thinking I mowed to soon. I didn't think it would hurt anything since I was mowing higher. I scalped some more spots this time. Should I have waited longer to mow? Should I have mowed just the green part? Did I stress the previous scalped spots too much? How long should I wait to mow next?

I will be putting some water on it. I appreciate any feedback and suggestions for the best plan of action. Thank you.


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## Bombers (Jul 14, 2020)

I think you have to take it up another notch since it looks like you are scalping the high/bumpy areas.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Thanks @Bombers 
I wanted to be able to keep mowing low but it doesn't look like it. I sure don't want to mess up any kind of root establishment. Maybe next year I can sand and level the backyard.


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## Bombers (Jul 14, 2020)

Coop22 said:


> Thanks @Bombers
> I wanted to be able to keep mowing low but it doesn't look like it. I sure don't want to mess up any kind of root establishment. Maybe next year I can sand and level the backyard.


The back is not ideal due to the slope, but the front has potential. Seams filled in nicely and is graded pretty flat. Won't take much sand to have it from good to great even if you're not reel mowing.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Bombers said:


> Coop22 said:
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> 
> > Thanks @Bombers
> ...


Thanks for the boost of confidence. I do have high hopes for the front. I plan on getting me a manual reel mower and sanding/leveling the front and hopefully get to use a reel next year.

Let me get your opinion on the back: if I cut the back at 2.25 it doesn't scalp but it's way too tall and leggy. The 1.75 isn't bad but you see what it still does in the pictures. If I eventually sand and level the back is it feasible to scalp low and cut to 1.75 or maybe one notch lower at 1.25? OR possibly one day using the manual reel back there?

I just hate the idea that I'm always going to have to cut the back high because of that slope. I don't really want to settle on a high cut. Thanks again.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

If you keep scalping it means you didn't scalp low enough the first time, or you aren't keeping up the frequency of needing to cut… possibly a combination of both.


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## Bombers (Jul 14, 2020)

You can achieve a flat surface on a slope, but it will take more work preventing runoff from the torrential downpours we get and will require more finesse handling if you end up with a powered reel. But all in all, it's not that bad honestly.

Contrary to having to level before getting a reel, you can get better cut quality and appearance with a reel on an unleveled lawn as it is less likely to fall into ruts because the machine to surface contact is distributed more evenly across the cutting unit compared to 4 contact points of a rotary.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

FATC1TY said:


> If you keep scalping it means you didn't scalp low enough the first time, or you aren't keeping up the frequency of needing to cut… possibly a combination of both.


Yea I went as low on the scalp as my rotary could go at 1.25 and two different directions. I'm thinking the newly sharpened blades cut areas my previous scalp missed…I don't know. I've been cutting every 3-4 days. At least 2x a week. I'm pleased with the front and how that is turning out, I know I could easily raise the hoc in the back and let the grass get tall. I'm just looking for different perspectives before doing that. But if that's what I gotta do for the back the rest of this season then I will. Thank you for you feedback. Anything helps me.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Bombers said:


> You can achieve a flat surface on a slope, but it will take more work preventing runoff from the torrential downpours we get and will require more finesse handling if you end up with a powered reel. But all in all, it's not that bad honestly.
> 
> Contrary to having to level before getting a reel, you can get better cut quality and appearance with a reel on an unleveled lawn as it is less likely to fall into ruts because the machine to surface contact is distributed more evenly across the cutting unit compared to 4 contact points of a rotary.


Thanks for replying back. This gives me hope for next season. I'm definitely leaning towards the manual reel next year. Maybe I try scalping with it in the backyard in the spring and see what it does. If worse comes to worse maybe some of the sand will make a slight difference and allow me to cut low with my rotary. Just through trial and error I'm learning and gaining experience. I appreciate your help and your time.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Coop22 said:


> FATC1TY said:
> 
> 
> > If you keep scalping it means you didn't scalp low enough the first time, or you aren't keeping up the frequency of needing to cut… possibly a combination of both.
> ...


Don't fret, slopes and unlevel are part of it all. If you can't cut that low and want to, then you know the obvious fix for it. Buy a mower that'll do to, and fix your unlevel portions over time.

Cut it where it looks good and healthy. I'd suggest cutting at least twice a week during this time of year. You'll notice the slow down. Pay attention to your scalp areas, everyone got some spot that does it if you cut it at certain angles or direction.


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## Coop22 (7 mo ago)

Great advice @FATC1TY
I'm for sure going to stay positive. Healthy is probably key with the new sod. Maybe I'm trying to do to much too fast. Just let it establish this first season and focus on how I can cut low next year. Patience is a tough one. Thanks again!


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