# Bermuda HOC with rotary



## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

Trying to figure out what the ideal HOC for my lawn with a rotary would be.I want it to be nicer than the neighbors lawns but don't want to cut it more than twice a week not because I'm lazy but just because I am pretty tied up with business.Also I don't want to level,or go reel low.So I guess what I am trying to get at is at what height will the lawn look better than the rest without having to cut more than twice a week and still be low enough where it looks good to anyone outside of the reel low community?

I will still be fertilizing monthly at 1bs-2lbs N per 1k.


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## Cheesetoast (May 1, 2018)

Under 2"


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

Cheesetoast said:


> Under 2"


+1

At least, if possible.

This was cut today with a rotary, but as low as my setting would allow and a blade lowering hack(washers between the blade and the engine axle to lower the blade some). I would say this is at about an 1" or so. Reel is out of service at the moment-waiting on parts.

https://postimg.cc/image/96i8ja5xn/


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

A PGR will also help.


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

It's scalping areas on the Honda's 1- 1/8" setting.



This is just before I cut it with no scalping showing.


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

And this is the Latitude 36 at 1 3/4" setting.Its scalping and leaving crop circles lol.


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

Alan said:


> Cheesetoast said:
> 
> 
> > Under 2"
> ...


It looks great.Your home and property are very nice and I can't wait for the day that I can find a home with some land to get out of suburbia.What state are you in?


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

I'm going to try cutting at 1 3/4" this time to see if it doesn't scalp if it does the next height above that is 2 1/2.


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## Ral1121 (Mar 19, 2018)

If you do some sand leveling, it would make it a little easier to cut using a rotary. Those scalped circles are from areas where the ground is un even and a wheel falls into a low area


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

Ral1121 said:


> If you do some sand leveling, it would make it a little easier to cut using a rotary. Those scalped circles are from areas where the ground is un even and a wheel falls into a low area


My yard has a lot of uneven ground.It looks like they built the homes around here on hills.So it might take a sh*t load of sand to level.


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## Ral1121 (Mar 19, 2018)

I have the same problem. It is a multi-year project. You will be surprised how much better it gets after a couple sandings


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

Just cut the Latitude 36 at 1 3/4" and it scalped like crazy.It was dark green before the cut.



The Tif 419 did not scalp at that height.


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## DC3 (May 20, 2018)

I'm at .75" and I bag. Get about 2 mows a week, but I have top dressed 2 times... And about to sand. It's beautiful, but a lot without pgr (currently), and a lot with as much fert as I'm throwing down.

I'd mess with the height. Keep cutting lower (1/3 rule) until your scalping is excessive, then raise it a notch. $0.02


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## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

I've seen bermuda at 3 inches that looked great. It can look good at many heights. IMO the problem when you start going taller is that you can't have bermuda at 3 inches look great for very long, maybe a month or two then it gets a little weird. You're just not going to get 6 great looking months out a your bermuda lawn at such a high HOC. This is just my opinion based off my observations.

I'd say just cut it, if it scalps then let it grow out and try again on the next notch up until it doesn't scalp then keep it there and no higher.


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

Bunnysarefat said:


> I've seen bermuda at 3 inches that looked great. It can look good at many heights. IMO the problem when you start going taller is that you can't have bermuda at 3 inches look great for very long, maybe a month or two then it gets a little weird. You're just not going to get 6 great looking months out a your bermuda lawn at such a high HOC. This is just my opinion based off my observations.
> 
> I'd say just cut it, if it scalps then let it grow out and try again on the next notch up until it doesn't scalp then keep it there and no higher.


That's what I'm going to end up doing.Hopefully it won't scalp at 2 1/2".Wish the next notch up was 2" though.


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## tnbison (Jun 2, 2017)

Rotary at around 1.25" Definitely scalps in areas though. One of these days I'll level with sand.


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## fp_911 (Apr 10, 2017)

I had to mow with my rotary all season until this past weekend. Here is a shot from ten days ago at 3/4" which is the lowest the Honda HRX217 will go. I wouldn't recommend going this low unless your yard is pretty flat though. I still get some scalp marks here and there but I know where the low spots are and mow them in a way where it minimizes the damage. Thankfully my reel mower is back in action again so I'll be mowing at 0.5" from this point forward.


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

tnbison said:


> Rotary at around 1.25" Definitely scalps in areas though. One of these days I'll level with sand.


Your lawn looks awesome at that height.How often are you mowing?


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

fp_911 said:


> I had to mow with my rotary all season until this past weekend. Here is a shot from ten days ago at 3/4" which is the lowest the Honda HRX217 will go. I wouldn't recommend going this low unless your yard is pretty flat though. I still get some scalp marks here and there but I know where the low spots are and mow them in a way where it minimizes the damage. Thankfully my reel mower is back in action again so I'll be mowing at 0.5" from this point forward.


The cut looks great at that height with the rotary.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Keep in mind if you keep cutting at the same height it will adapt and stop looking scalped eventually. A lot of folks with Bermuda scalp it to the dirt in the spring and then even when cutting at 0.5" there's no scalping showing.


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## Ral1121 (Mar 19, 2018)

SCGrassMan said:


> Keep in mind if you keep cutting at the same height it will adapt and stop looking scalped eventually.


I thought this was a cool season technique. I was under the impression that for Bermuda you always scalp below your targetet hoc. Then raise to your hoc. If not you will always see the brown stems. Is this not true?


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Ral1121 said:


> SCGrassMan said:
> 
> 
> > Keep in mind if you keep cutting at the same height it will adapt and stop looking scalped eventually.
> ...


You are correct. Constantly keeping a warm season grass in a scalped state is a good way to weaken it.


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## drlushin (May 24, 2017)

My honda HRx217 used to do the same thing w/ crop circle patterns. I got a different mower from Lowes that had a Honda engine on it. Its a Troy Bilt model. On its lowest setting it cuts at 1" and personally it runs circles aroubnd my expensive Honda HRX 217. While it isn't self propelled, it's much lighter and more manueverable than the HRX217.

This mower doesn't leave the crop circle mowing patterns. Now full disclosure, I may have put those twin blades on wrong and that may have caused the crop circle appearance. However, either way that $250 Lowes mower still cuts circles around the Honda HRX217 and it has a Honda engine which was really all I cared about.

Here's a pic of my grass this morning at 1" HOC. It's not super close up, but I have very little scalp marks compared to the ones I had w/ Honda mower and nothing else has changed w/ my yard.

I use PGR and cut once per week, but probably could go 10 days and still be observing the 1/3 rule. I love me some PGR and that cheap Lowes mower


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## drlushin (May 24, 2017)

By the way, those tracks are from spraying PGR this morning. Not something from the mower.


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## RandyMan (May 17, 2018)

drlushin said:


> By the way, those tracks are from spraying PGR this morning. Not something from the mower.


What PGR are you using and how long does it last you? Been reading good things about PGR and would like to try it


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## drlushin (May 24, 2017)

I use T-Nex. I have only recently started using it.

High level of what I have learned regarding PGR:

PGR Suppression Duration is affected by Air Temps (Warmer days short length of days of suppression) & Mowing Frequency/Height

PGR Suppression Intensity is affected by Application Rate.

I posted a video, I found on Youtube that was really good, in this thread... https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1670&hilit=pgr&start=40

Quite frankly I'm no where near the expert. I also learned a ton from this thread...
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54

I hope this helps you. Basically the amount of time it last varies so I'm sorry I couldn't be more specific.

ONE THING IS FOR SURE... IT WAS WELL WORTH IT AND IM GRATEFUL FOR HOW LONG IT LASTS. Plus it's training my common bermuda to grow more horizontal and I really enjoy it. I'm color blind, so take this with a grain of salt, but it appears to have given my 'muda a darker green appearance. However, it could be purple or blue for all I know... God has a funny sense of humor giving a lawn lover Yellow & Green color blindness. :lol:


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Ral1121 said:


> SCGrassMan said:
> 
> 
> > Keep in mind if you keep cutting at the same height it will adapt and stop looking scalped eventually.
> ...


To clarify, yes  Lower than target HOC, then HOC going forward.


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## tnbison (Jun 2, 2017)

Redland1 said:


> Your lawn looks awesome at that height.How often are you mowing?


Thanks, 4-6 days depending on the weather and how long it's been since PGR application


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## Suaverc118 (Jul 28, 2017)

SCGrassMan said:


> Keep in mind if you keep cutting at the same height it will adapt and stop looking scalped eventually. A lot of folks with Bermuda scalp it to the dirt in the spring and then even when cutting at 0.5" there's no scalping showing.


I agree with this, as I've experienced the same thing. I'm at the second level which is about 1.5" and I have high spots, so it's cutting shorter in those areas and no scalping. It's getting very thick and adapting well.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Suaverc118 said:


> SCGrassMan said:
> 
> 
> > Keep in mind if you keep cutting at the same height it will adapt and stop looking scalped eventually. A lot of folks with Bermuda scalp it to the dirt in the spring and then even when cutting at 0.5" there's no scalping showing.
> ...


Great looking lawn man! I like how the grass is around the pavers and they're level with the grass.


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

Got this Orbit traveling sprinkler today.Anyone have any experience with these?


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

@Redland1 I have one. They are great for areas without irrigation installed or even instead of the irrigation system if it is really windy.

One word of caution based on the pic, make sure you allow enough extra hose behind the unit. If the hose twists and lifts, it can interfere with the rotation and movement. Mine actually knocked one side of the rotating nozzles out and then proceeded to flood the area for awhile before I found it.


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## Suaverc118 (Jul 28, 2017)

SCGrassMan said:


> Suaverc118 said:
> 
> 
> > SCGrassMan said:
> ...


Thanks! Love them too. Originally my wife wanted pavers and wanted them just thrown on top of the grass, and I was like naaaaah, I'm digging them in. It was a lot of work, but look great. Now it's a lot of work to edge around them, but I love how it looks when it's cleaned up. Appreciate the compliment.


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## Redland1 (Feb 26, 2018)

The tifway 419 I cut at 1 3/4" and the Latitude 36 was cut at 2 1/2" Which is the only height that it won't scalp at.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Redland1 said:


> Got this Orbit traveling sprinkler today.Anyone have any experience with these?


I have one and I like it for the very back of my property where I do not have irrigation. It does not like hard spots in the lawn (spins the wheels due to weight of the hose) and struggles to tow more than about 50' of hose (5/8", rubber). But if you keep it's limitations in mind, it will cover a lot of ground, throw a decent amount of water, and look good doing it!


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