# Rotary mowed Bermuda



## Cory

Anyone have photos of their Bermuda mowed over 2" with a rotary mower? I think I have to come to grips with the fact I am not gonna be able to keep my back yard short. It's to large to mow with my California trimmer, I'm just not gonna walk 20k sqft total with a 20" mower and finding a good deal on a triplex and somewhere to have it serviced around here is next to impossible. Currently mowing with my 46" poulan pro but the quality of its cut is awful and as it gets thicker and filled in every other time I mow I am having to raise the deck to keep from scalping it. I may end up buying a zero turn but was just courious what others Bermuda looks like that's mowed taller.


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## Spammage

@Cory I don't have the pics, but it can look good. Once it is grown in, you could reduce N input, apply t-nex and probably get by with cutting every 4-5 days with the CalTrimmer. If that is to frequent, then mow with the rotary every 3 days and keep the blades sharp.


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## randy

Here is a 2.5" rotary common Bermuda lawn. I'm not entirely happy with it, but for now it is what it is.


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## Movingshrub




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## Cory

@Spammage I should have also added that there is no irrigation so keeping enough water on it to keep it short is also an issue.

As for the mower I am currently cutting it every 2-3 days with the rider and sharpening the blades every couple of cuts because of all the bare dirt. For some reason the left side cutting sorter or something, it's leaving a lighter color stripe no matter what I do to try and adjust it. It also leaves an uncut strip in the center of the deck no matter what blades I put on it. Even if I were to cut it higher with the reel it's just to much for me to walk in 100°+. Throw in all the edging and trimming down both sides the fence (its setback from the property line 5' all around) and around the house I will probably end up with heat stroke haha.

@randy doesn't look bad to me


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## Cory

Movingshrub said:


>


Looks pretty good!


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## DSchlauch

I feel your pain Cory, I bought a CalTrimmer this year and also have 20k of grass. I went from about 30 minutes to cut with my 52" Exmark zero turn to a solid 3 hours to edge, cut and trim now.

Bermuda can look really good cut with a rotary over 2". Keep a good edge on your blades and stick to the 1/3 rule and you should be fine. Heck, every lawn company probably within 50-100 miles of me are doing just that. If your not using a PGR, add that to the mix and that will reduce your mowing frequency and will probably help keep some good color while reducing your N some due to the iron. If you want to stick with the reel mower, would breaking the lawn into sections to cut on different days be an option so it wouldn't be so tough on you? Like the front one day, fenced in back another, etc..? Good luck


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## Jacob_S

I posted a pic, pretty sure in the cool pic thread, of a gas station that has rotary mowed bermuda. And there are plenty other business in the area that look quite good, mowed with ztr's by the mow and go maintenance companies around here. Also dont have pictures on my phone but my girlfriend's dad mows his with a grasshopper and it looks really good.


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## Cory

@DSchlauch I am currently mowing on separate days because to do it all takes a while to do it all the same time, I try to do it late in the afternoon around 8:00. At this point I am mowing almost every day :lol:

@Jacob_S all the commercially mowed Bermuda in my area looks terrible. I don't even think I have seen another really good looking Bermuda lawn around here in person that wasn't an athletic feild or golf course. 🤷🏻‍♂️


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## Tellycoleman

If you start incorporating Sprigging and /or pro plugging and watering with a hose one or 2 section at a time you could get alot of your yard completly filled in this season.
2 inch bermuda can look awesome when it is really thick.

I know a little something about mowing a 20K lawn. I use a 18inch american stanard manuel reel. with a 1/2 HOC.
I break it up and its alot easier. I do the front and one side one afternoon and then early the next morning i do the back and another side. It Doesnt hurt that a manuel mower makes no noise for the neighbors at 545 am when its cool
PGR is a life saver and I am in the process of tweeking it for my lawn for maximum suppression without injury.(still work in progress)


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## randy

@Tellycoleman I want to try a reel mower, but I am not ready to spend big bucks on a motorized one. Do you recommend the one you have? I have about 10k lawn, but I'd only use the reel on 5k of it. I've got some small hills, which is why I'd like to try a cheap one first.


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## Cory

@Tellycoleman I water it twice a week and been putting a lot of fert on it. Also have aerated it 4 times this year. It's filled in a lot the last month.

You're a better man than I pushing 20k with a manual reel. Maybe I just need to get off my lazy *** and do it haha.

June 5th


Today


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## DSchlauch

Tellycoleman said:


> PGR is a life saver and I am in the process of tweeking it for my lawn for maximum suppression without injury.(still work in progress)


Telly, can you go in to more detail on what you are experiencing with the PGR and what adjustments you are trying? I've been getting some bronzing on the leaf blades with each app so I think I'm going to try a half rate for my next app.

I'm not trying to hijack your post Cory, hopefully the input on PGR will benefit you as well.


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## randy

My bermuda has been spreading too...


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## DSchlauch

Cory said:


> June 5th
> 
> 
> Today


That progress looks great!


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## Cory

@DSchlauch No worries! I have used T-nex on my front lawn 4 times this year at the labeled rate for 419. I'm. It sure what you mean by bronzing but if it's what I think you mean then I have the same issue.

@randy mine likes to grow in to the asphalt, and over the water meter covers, and up the side of the fence, and everywhere except the dirt where I want it to grow haha


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## Tellycoleman

randy said:


> @Tellycoleman I want to try a reel mower, but I am not ready to spend big bucks on a motorized one. Do you recommend the one you have? I have about 10k lawn, but I'd only use the reel on 5k of it. I've got some small hills, which is why I'd like to try a cheap one first.


I really like mine. The only problem you have is that with manuel mowers and thick Bermuda you will get washboarding. All Manuel mowers are to light and will begin to bounce on the surface.


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## Tellycoleman

DSchlauch said:


> Tellycoleman said:
> 
> 
> 
> PGR is a life saver and I am in the process of tweeking it for my lawn for maximum suppression without injury.(still work in progress)
> 
> 
> 
> Telly, can you go in to more detail on what you are experiencing with the PGR and what adjustments you are trying? I've been getting some bronzing on the leaf blades with each app so I think I'm going to try a half rate for my next app.
> 
> I'm not trying to hijack your post Cory, hopefully the input on PGR will benefit you as well.
Click to expand...

Ok to keep this thread from being hijacked I'm not going make a long responses 
Ok what is your rate. You shouldn't get bronzing. I did get bronzing when I went at label rate for common Bermuda. 0.75 oz. My experience is that the label rate is too high. My thread "pgr in this heat" details what I'm using however I am not sold on using 2 different pgr s on home lawn


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## DSchlauch

My rate was .3 oz / k. Tifway 419 @ 1". I'll look up your PGR thread. Thanks


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## MatthewinGA

I guess I'm one of the lucky rotary cutters-





Nextdoor Neighboor has NO clue how to cut...

I started PGR a few days ago and recommend that way to go for everyone.


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## DSchlauch

@MatthewinGA Could have fooled me! That's a pretty tight cut with a rotary. I bet you could use those blades to shave if you run out of razors. And I wouldn't be expecting a Christmas card from that neighbor this year ....


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## Cory

@MatthewinGA that looks great! Wouldn't have guessed it was mowed with a rotary.


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## MatthewinGA

I sharpen the Gator blades before every cut.


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## randy

+1 on PGRs for rotary help. I wish I knew about PGR a year ago. One thing you'll need if you start with PGRs is a good sprayer. Once you get one, you'll make use of it all the time though.


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## Lawn_newbie

MatthewinGA said:


> I guess I'm one of the lucky rotary cutters-
> 
> Nextdoor Neighboor has NO clue how to cut...
> 
> I started PGR a few days ago and recommend that way to go for everyone.


@MatthewinGA What is your HOC?


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## MatthewinGA

Lawn_newbie said:


> MatthewinGA said:
> 
> 
> 
> I guess I'm one of the lucky rotary cutters-
> 
> Nextdoor Neighboor has NO clue how to cut...
> 
> I started PGR a few days ago and recommend that way to go for everyone.
> 
> 
> 
> @MatthewinGA What is your HOC?
Click to expand...

I set the tractor on #2


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## MatthewinGA




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## daganh62

What is the problem when you mow with your poulan? I would consider getting it serviced to get a better mow if that is something that could help.


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## Cory

@daganh62

Short answer, it's a pile of SH!T!

Long answer... 
In the picture can you see the lighter stripes? 


It's the left side blade that is causing that not because I mowed in the opposite direction. It has always done that. I have tried adjusting the deck several times but no matter what I do it still does it. Also it leaves a small strip uncut between the blades no matter what blades I put on it. Not sure why it does that either. Thing is, I didnt have grass in the back yard and the front was weeds when I bought it so I didn't notice it or I would have returned it.

On top of that the hydrostatic transmission is getting stuck in gear. In order to change from forward/reverse have to push the clutch/brake pedal to disengage the transmission and still have to stomp the forward or reverse pedal sometimes to get it to switch. Not sure whose idea it was to use these transmissions on riders but it was a stupid idea. There was nothing wrong with the old style push the clutch and put it in the gear you want to mow.


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## Spammage

@Cory I have a John Deere rider with a 42" deck. From the first cut, I had the same issue with it. Eventually, I figured out the weight wasn't balanced, so it wouldn't hang correctly while mowing. I added some weight to the light side and set the deck wheels to almost ride the ground. The problems were solved after that.


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## Cory

@Spammage thanks! I'll have to try that


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## Smokindog

I've got a 42" JD LA105 and a Husqvarna RZ46i. Bought the JD when we first moved in and switched to the ZTR a couple seasons later. Best decision I ever made. I use the JD to pull things like the spreader, sprayer, and dump cart.

If any of this is too basic, I apologize in advance. No intent here to insult anyone's intelligence!

It's really tough to completely rid yourself of "tracking" stripes, especially as you lower mowing height. Honestly, I see mostly tire "squish" in your pictures but I know the pictures can hide a lot of what you see with the naked eye!!!

That said, it's really important that the deck is properly hung and adjusted. I looked at a couple of the Poulan manuals and it looks like it has the same 3 point hanging system as my JD.

Before adjusting the deck, make sure all your tires are properly inflated and park your tractor on a level/smooth surface. Make sure you've got the front to back cant set correctly as well as the left to right being level. Don't forget, a change to one hanger does impact the others so it's an iterative process. It's explained in the manuals and there are some good Youtube videos.

One thing I learned came to mind when someone said the deck was "sticking" and not dropping into position. The higher up on the rear hangers you go, the more tension you need to put on the front hanger to get the cant set correctly. That can cause the deck to bind on the read hangers. Drop the deck on the rear hangers and then reset the cant by releasing the front hanger some. That will also allow the deck to float a little more easily and improve your cut. The cant adjustment should take care of your middle stripe. Most manufacturers recommend 1/8-1/2 inch front to back cant. I try to get mine at about 1/4 inch/

Anyway, it was trial and error learning for me. Yesterday I played around with my RX46i deck and now I'm having to fine tune it. DO NOT overreact. Remember as you change your cut on Bermuda it gets "emphasized" as you remove green and expose brown stems. It can make you believe you've completely messed up the "level" of the deck when in fact if you wait a week for the grass to recover you might find out it was well adjusted.

IMO, the lower you go, the tougher it is to rid yourself of all the "marks and lines".

I adjust my deck at the height I plan to cut instead of all the way raised as many recommend. I use 6 pieces of measured and cut 2" PVC when leveling the deck. I have them cut for the left/right outside height and the front/back heights. This way I can just slide them back and forth under the blade tips at the desired points to see if I'm at the right height.

*UNUSUAL THINGS I DID on the LA105*

Don't think it's the case as you're showing long straight cuts but I had a lot of cut problems in turns. The LA105 is really their entry model and had no way to adjust the front wheels. I did some research and ended up buying some adjustable tie rods from a higher level model to replace the fixed ones on the LA105. Solved a lot but not all of my turn issues.

I also found that the spindles weren't quite aligned as the blade tips met in the center at about 1/16" difference in height. JD said that was in spec  It took me a couple weeks to true things up. *This is a last resort item as you can really farkel things up with the deck (mallets and levers were involved)*  It's a pretty flimsy deck.

Check the play in the spindles. If you've got any sided to side or other excessive play, replace them. They're not that expensive.


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## Suaverc118

MatthewinGA said:


> I sharpen the Gator blades before every cut.


How do you sharp6your blades? I have a rotary push mower, a Honda and notice the cuts are not as clean.


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## Smokindog

I use all the methods shown in this video. It just depends on the condition of the blades.








Suaverc118 said:


> MatthewinGA said:
> 
> 
> 
> I sharpen the Gator blades before every cut.
> 
> 
> 
> How do you sharp6your blades? I have a rotary push mower, a Honda and notice the cuts are not as clean.
Click to expand...


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## MatthewinGA

I start off with a hand file in the bench vise. Next I use my drillpress with a mower blade sharpening stone.

Once in a great while I will touch up with the Dremal tool.

Make sure they are balanced and the blades are not running in parallel.

Correct ( I - ) (- I )
Incorrect ( - - ) ( I I )


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## Cory

@Smokindog I was using a board to level the under the edges of the deck but I didn't think to do it from the blade tips. I'll try that today.

The stripes are definitely from the blade because they start to turn yellow the next day.

The blade tips aren't aligned on mine either when rotated tip to tip, they are also about a 1/16th off. I watched a couple of videos last night before I went to bed, the John deer setup is very similar to mine. There just isn't as much adjustment room on the threads. I'll mess around with it some more.

Thanks for all the info and taking the time to write all that out! :thumbup:


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## Smokindog

Remember, it could be brown simply because you're exposing the bottom stems in what was maybe a previously slanted cut.

I am not a mower mechanic and I do NOT encourage people to do this but here's what I ended up doing.

You need to be REAL careful and be the turtle, not the hare.

First thing you'll need to do is MAKE SURE YOUR BLADES ARE TRUE. Remove them and check them on a flat surface. When you put them back on the spindles, swap the blade location and see if the height difference stays the same. If not, get some new blades first.

If they are, you need to determine which tip(s) need to go up and/or down and in which direction(s).

This requires you remove the deck (easy to do once you do it once or twice). Then with a level on the blades I propped up the deck (upside down) until one of the blades was level and plumb front to back and side to side. I then "measured" the other blade to see where is was not level and plumb, slowly spinning it and writing down measurements. I was able to use metal shims I have from a layout table under the blade tips (Dad was a tool and die guy).

Now comes the brass kahoonahs! I used my best judgement on which spindle(s) needed adjustment and in which direction(s). I removed the spindle(s), inserted a 6 foot 2x4 in to the hole in the deck with the flat facing the direction I wanted to adjust and pulled gently, VERY gently and then remeasured. The final thousandths of an inch can then be achieved with a large rubber mallet. Turn the deck back over and give a few whacks about 4-6 inches out from the hole for the spindle. Start small and work up............

I called around before doing this to see if there existed a machine at any repair shop to "true up" a deck and of the 4-5 shops I called they all said it's a manual process and usually not done. One guy said he'd do it for $150 but there would be no guarantees. There are youtube videos with some of these actions but most just entailed "beating the deck" into alignment. Some also have said they simply place washers between the spindle on the underside of the deck. I personally didn't like that solution.

Again, I don't recommend everyone attempts this. It's just what I did.


Cory said:


> @Smokindog I was using a board to level the under the edges of the deck but I didn't think to do it from the blade tips. I'll try that today.
> 
> The stripes are definitely from the blade because they start to turn yellow the next day.
> 
> The blade tips aren't aligned on mine either when rotated tip to tip, they are also about a 1/16th off. I watched a couple of videos last night before I went to bed, the John deer setup is very similar to mine. There just isn't as much adjustment room on the threads. I'll mess around with it some more.
> 
> Thanks for all the info and taking the time to write all that out! :thumbup:


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## raymond

randy said:


> My bermuda has been spreading too...


 :lol: I know the feeling. Take a weed wacker to it or a squirt of RoundUp.


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## Cory

@Smokindog that's some serious adjusting! I did a few adjustments today before I mowed but it's actually worse even though the measurements say it should be exact. I think if I want it to be perfect I would have do do what you described. Here's a few pictures from today's mow


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## w0lfe

This is right at 2 inches


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## Hambone79

If you level your lawn with top dressing and keep it smooth, you can have a manicured look by cutting at 2" or below. The key is keeping it smooth like you would for a reel and also mowing it frequently enough to keep up with the lower height of cut. I cut around 20k at 1.5" with my Exmark zero turn. I mow every other or every 2 days and it looks really nice. Rotary mowers are more sensitive to scalping than reels, so keep it smooth and sharp blade!


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## MasterMech

Cory said:


> @Smokindog that's some serious adjusting! I did a few adjustments today before I mowed but it's actually worse even though the measurements say it should be exact. I think if I want it to be perfect I would have do do what you described. Here's a few pictures from today's mow


How possible/probable is it that the soil is unlevel under the mower? If one rear tire is riding in a depression and the other is not, that WILL show up. And a quarter inch difference would be visible at 2", never mind a half inch!

Unlevel cut check list:

Tire sizes/pressure?
Blade(s) straight?
Deck level?
Spindles Bent/Worn?
Deck Shell Distorted?

Beer(s) empty? :lol:

Failing all that, it's an unlevel ground issue! The exception would be if it only shows up while turning.


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## Smokindog

Thanks, looks like I covered everything in your list in my first posts 


MasterMech said:


> Unlevel cut check list:
> 
> Tire sizes/pressure?
> Blade(s) straight?
> Deck level?
> Spindles Bent/Worn?
> Deck Shell Distorted?
> 
> Beer(s) empty? :lol:
> 
> Failing all that, it's an unlevel ground issue! The exception would be if it only shows up while turning.


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## Smokindog

@Cory

So today I was doing my daily mow since knocking 1/2" off my Bermuda in the middle of our summer heat, wondering if I had lost my mind  Wasn't really concentrating and I did it. Something I hadn't done in awhile and immediately thought of this thread. It has to do with mowing alternate directions, you know, back and forth and back and forth. Every other pass the discharge chute points onto the un-mowed grass. Depending on many factors like the sun/shade, amount of clippings being discharged and the pattern of the discharge my mower produces a line about 8-10" from the last cut line that could easily be mistaken for the last cut line as you pivot and turn the mower. Today I left multiple 6-8 inch strips of uncut lawn by mistakenly following the line of the discharge instead of the line of the cut.

Any chance you've also done this????


Cory said:


> @Smokindog that's some serious adjusting! I did a few adjustments today before I mowed but it's actually worse even though the measurements say it should be exact. I think if I want it to be perfect I would have do do what you described. Here's a few pictures from today's mow


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## Cory

@Smokindog I have a mulching kit on it. It's really just a piece of plastic that covers the chute. I typically end up double cutting to try and even it out a little better. The uneven cut is directly in the center of the deck not the outer edges

@MasterMech the ground is effed, not even close to being smooth which is part of the reason why I'm mowing it over 2". But the uneven cut is in the middle of the deck from the left side blade.


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## Smokindog

@Cory 
How much lower is the front of your cut than the back? I try to keep that measurement as close to 1/4" as I can. I'm going to guess yours is more from your description.

I'd also take off the "mulching kit" until I got the cut leveled out.


Cory said:


> @Smokindog I have a mulching kit on it. It's really just a piece of plastic that covers the chute. I typically end up double cutting to try and even it out a little better. The uneven cut is directly in the center of the deck not the outer edges
> 
> @MasterMech the ground is effed, not even close to being smooth which is part of the reason why I'm mowing it over 2". But the uneven cut is in the middle of the deck from the left side blade.


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## MasterMech

Cory said:


> @Smokindog I have a mulching kit on it. It's really just a piece of plastic that covers the chute. I typically end up double cutting to try and even it out a little better. The uneven cut is directly in the center of the deck not the outer edges
> 
> @MasterMech the ground is effed, not even close to being smooth which is part of the reason why I'm mowing it over 2". But the uneven cut is in the middle of the deck from the left side blade.


I think I'd park it on the flattest surface you've got and check that left spindle/blade with a block of some kind. Just a hunk of 2x4 would do fine. Position the blade left to right under the deck, set the block under the outboard cutting edge and lower the deck down so the blade just hovered over the block. Then move the block under the opposite cutting edge and see if the gap looks the same. If not, rotate the blade 180 deg and observe. If the gap does not change by rotating the blade, the deck shell is bent. If the gap changes, either the blade or the spindle are knackered.


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## Smokindog

@Cory

I hesitated posting this figuring you'd have already found one similar but what the heck! There are hundreds of these out there, perhaps one specifically for your model.


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## Redland1

That's at 2 1/2 inches.Unfortunately my Honda doesn't go to 2".



That's at 1 3/4".I like this height but I'm having trouble maintaining it there because if I cut it every fourth day it scalps.So I'm thinking I might take it up to 2 1/2 as well even though I prefer it lower.


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## MsTin

God bless this thread. I have a manual reel mower that all last season I used on my lawn and although it looked good, it was seriously too time consuming. This year my husband demanded a lawn company to come out once a week along with the a company to maintain the weeds. It has lightened the load a ton. With so much land, taking a reel mower to it every few days is just not sane. I am happy to see that others are able to keep that beautiful bermuda grass green and healthy with a rotary. This year, my grass is greener than ever and I am not braking my back and taking my knee out trying to maintain it. As a matter of fact, I have the best lawn in our community!


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## Cory

@Smokindog my mower is adjustments are identical to that. The only way of measuring I haven't tried is using one of these . I'll take some more measurements later. 


At this point though I am almost fed up with it.

@Redland1 looks great!

@MsTin although my gas power reel could be a little quicker than a manual one it would still take a lot of time. I already feel like I spend an extraordinary amount of time with the lawn as it is. My wife says it's more high maintenance than her haha.


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## Colonel K0rn

Just thought I'd pop in here and say that my old neighbor down the street had the yard that I used to really enjoy looking at. He had great landscaping, and used his JD (don't know the model number)tractor to mow his lawn every Saturday. He kept his height at around 3", and it was full and lush. I really considered his yard to be my "competition" when I was envisioning domination.

Notice that I used the word "used to" and "had". He moved last year, and the new owner of the house mows when the grass reaches knee height, and then scalps the crap out of it. It looks absolutely terrible now.

That being said, you guys are doing a great job with your mowers, and your yards are worthy of admiration.


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## Smokindog

@Cory 
I have one and don't use it. Too tough to know if you're really on the tip of the blade and you have to get down on the ground anyway to get the blades in the right place.. Others I know use them. They're cheap so try it if you like. I use a bungy to hold the deflector up, get down on the ground and reach in through the discharge chute being careful not to move the deck. That's why I have slices of 2" PVC so I can just slide it under the blade tip like a feeler gauge. If you've got someone who can turn the wrench while your down there you can save some up/down. If you're still young, no big deal 

It's a learning process and takes time. Once you get it set it'll take much less time. The other option is to pay someone to adjust your mower and/or do your lawn. Nothing is free in life  Don't over think things.



Cory said:


> @Smokindog my mower is adjustments are identical to that. The only way of measuring I haven't tried is using one of these . I'll take some more measurements later.
> 
> 
> At this point though I am almost fed up with it.
> 
> @Redland1 looks great!
> 
> @MsTin although my gas power reel could be a little quicker than a manual one it would still take a lot of time. I already feel like I spend an extraordinary amount of time with the lawn as it is. My wife says it's more high maintenance than her haha.


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## Cory

@Smokindog I don't pay people to do things for me haha. Only time I have paid someone to do my lawn was after I had back surgery and it about killed me to watch them do it. Worked on farms through middle and high school then spent 15 years remodeling houses and do all my own auto maintenance, I know my way around tools. At this point I'm 99% positive the deck is warped or the spindle is bad. Either way, the mower is only a year old and shouldn't have the issues it has.


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## Smokindog

@Cory 
I was kidding on paying someone 

If it's only a year old it may still be under warranty, especially if you charged it with a major card that typically doubles the mfg warranty for you. YMMV!



Cory said:


> @Smokindog I don't pay people to do things for me haha. Only time I have paid someone to do my lawn was after I had back surgery and it about killed me to watch them do it. Worked on farms through middle and high school then spent 15 years remodeling houses and do all my own auto maintenance, I know my way around tools. At this point I'm 99% positive the deck is warped or the spindle is bad. Either way, the mower is only a year old and shouldn't have the issues it has.


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## fp_911

If you have a fairly flat lot then you could still have a great lawn with a rotary.

Here is a picture from 2016 when I was still using a rotary. As you can see it's not too bad at 3/4" using the Honda at the lowest setting:



Then when I transitioned to a reel mower here is an example from almost one year later with the Toro set at 1/2":



Not a tremendous difference but if you look closely enough you'll see it's more crisp and virtually no scalp marks.

I'm happy with either way. Earlier this year I contemplated just going with the rotary as my greens mower was damaged. But now that it's fixed I'm glad it is and am happy to have it back in use again.


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## Redland1

fp_911 said:


> If you have a fairly flat lot then you could still have a great lawn with a rotary.
> 
> Here is a picture from 2016 when I was still using a rotary. As you can see it's not too bad at 3/4" using the Honda at the lowest setting:
> 
> 
> 
> Then when I transitioned to a reel mower here is an example from almost one year later with the Toro set at 1/2":
> 
> 
> 
> Not a tremendous difference but if you look closely enough you'll see it's more crisp and virtually no scalp marks.
> 
> I'm happy with either way. Earlier this year I contemplated just going with the rotary as my greens mower was damaged. But now that it's fixed I'm glad it is and am happy to have it back in use again.


What fertilizer are you using?


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## fp_911

Redland1 said:


> What fertilizer are you using?


Have a lawn service that does the weed 'n feed every few weeks and then I put a bag of milo down every month during the growing season. Also leave clippings on the lawn when I mow.


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## Aarsudstrike

Mowed last night at 1 3/4"-2 inches. I always mulch my clippings and usually have to double cut.


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## 1FASTSS

fp_911 said:


> If you have a fairly flat lot then you could still have a great lawn with a rotary.
> 
> Here is a picture from 2016 when I was still using a rotary. As you can see it's not too bad at 3/4" using the Honda at the lowest setting:
> 
> 
> 
> Then when I transitioned to a reel mower here is an example from almost one year later with the Toro set at 1/2":
> 
> 
> 
> Not a tremendous difference but if you look closely enough you'll see it's more crisp and virtually no scalp marks.
> 
> I'm happy with either way. Earlier this year I contemplated just going with the rotary as my greens mower was damaged. But now that it's fixed I'm glad it is and am happy to have it back in use again.


Looks pretty good for a Honda...but you can tell the Reel is a much cleaner cut! Nice yard


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## fp_911

1FASTSS said:


> Looks pretty good for a Honda...but you can tell the Reel is a much cleaner cut! Nice yard


Thanks! What's most important with the reel is that it is more forgiving than the rotary.

With the rotary I had to learn each bump, peak, and valley in my yard to be able to keep from creating the half moons in the grass. Also important was NEVER stopping the mower on the grass. Once you're not moving the mower will sink into the lawn with its weight and will cause scalping.

I still use the Honda in my back yard and the difference between the two is unbelievable later in the season. Here is a photo from October of last year when the lawn was on the verge of becoming dormant. The only difference between the foreground back yard lawn and the front yard is the type of mower I use. Now of course during the summer the back yard is still very green. But it was interesting how much longer the front yard will keep the color once the temperatures start to cool off:


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## MsTin

fp_911 said:


> If you have a fairly flat lot then you could still have a great lawn with a rotary.
> 
> Here is a picture from 2016 when I was still using a rotary. As you can see it's not too bad at 3/4" using the Honda at the lowest setting:
> 
> 
> 
> Then when I transitioned to a reel mower here is an example from almost one year later with the Toro set at 1/2":
> 
> 
> 
> Not a tremendous difference but if you look closely enough you'll see it's more crisp and virtually no scalp marks.
> 
> I'm happy with either way. Earlier this year I contemplated just going with the rotary as my greens mower was damaged. But now that it's fixed I'm glad it is and am happy to have it back in use again.


Ummmmm, I think that the rotary looks better. Sorry if you take offense, that is not my intention. But IMHO It looks like a beautiful green cloud that you just want to lay in. The reel mowed one is very flat yes, but it doesn't scream comfort. It's more like, 'don't touch me"...... Which is not a bad message to send in the front yard. :lol:


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## TN Hawkeye

I keep mine at 2.75". This is my first summer in the house so I'm really just getting to start pushing the Bermuda. The grass is thick and lush. I will take it down to about 2.25" after the spring scalp but I like it to have a little give to it. May even go 1.75" but no shorter.


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## daniel3507

This is at 2.5". Right now I'm closer to 3 or even taller. My lawn is too bumpy for much lower right now but it still looks good in my biased opinion


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## Gregau33

daniel3507 said:


> This is at 2.5". Right now I'm closer to 3 or even taller. My lawn is too bumpy for much lower right now but it still looks good in my biased opinion


Looks great to me too! :thumbup:


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## Cory

@MsTin "don't touch me" :lol: :lol:

@TN Hawkeye and @daniel3507 looks great!

I think my problem is the masive holes in the lawn in the back and the type of Bermuda it is. I mowed one day half with the rider and half with my reel, the look was so much better with the reel. Looks smooth even though it's not 


But honestly I'm feeling like just giving up on it all together until next year or until I can spend some money on good seed. Pretty sure that it is just feild bermuda that would be grown for hay. Plus It needs a major level or to be completely re graded. It's a mess!


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## Bermuda_Newbie

Cory said:


> @MsTin "don't touch me" :lol: :lol:
> 
> @TN Hawkeye and @daniel3507 looks great!
> 
> I think my problem is the masive holes in the lawn in the back and the type of Bermuda it is. I mowed one day half with the rider and half with my reel, the look was so much better with the reel. Looks smooth even though it's not
> 
> 
> But honestly I'm feeling like just giving up on it all together until next year or until I can spend some money on good seed. Pretty sure that it is just feild bermuda that would be grown for hay. Plus It needs a major level or to be completely re graded. It's a mess!


Which side of the photo is which mower?


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## Cory

@Bermuda_Newbie left side was rider right side was reel.


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## Bermuda_Newbie

@Cory That's what I thought. For what it's worth, from the picture, the left side looks a little better to me. Like something you'd want to walk on. I realize it probably looks different in person but neither side looks bad.


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## Smokindog

@Cory 
That was my guess and congrats, it looks like you got your deck issues resolved. What did you end up doing to get it leveled out?


Cory said:


> @Bermuda_Newbie left side was rider right side was reel.


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## Cory

@Smokindog it still mows a lighter stripe on the left side, the rider mowed side of the photo was triple cut to make it as uniform as possible. I gave up on it, part of the reason I started mowing it with the reel.


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## fp_911

MsTin said:


> Ummmmm, I think that the rotary looks better. Sorry if you take offense, that is not my intention. But IMHO It looks like a beautiful green cloud that you just want to lay in. The reel mowed one is very flat yes, but it doesn't scream comfort. It's more like, 'don't touch me"...... Which is not a bad message to send in the front yard. :lol:


No offense taken because I actually prefer a more plush lawn myself. In fact the lack of that soft feeling is something I miss from my previous tall fescue lawn.

The problem I have with the rotary is that I have to maintain a constant speed and work around some of the bumps and dips in my yard to keep it from scalping. With the reel mower I don't have to be as careful to not scalp so I can keep the yard more consistently green.

Wish I could have it both ways but since I'm using a greens mower I can't get too high because it won't cut correctly.


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## fp_911

fp_911 said:


> MsTin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Ummmmm, I think that the rotary looks better. Sorry if you take offense, that is not my intention. But IMHO It looks like a beautiful green cloud that you just want to lay in. The reel mowed one is very flat yes, but it doesn't scream comfort. It's more like, 'don't touch me"...... Which is not a bad message to send in the front yard. :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> No offense taken because I actually prefer a more plush lawn myself. In fact the lack of that soft feeling is something I miss from my previous tall fescue lawn.
> 
> The problem I have with the rotary is that I have to maintain a constant speed and work around some of the bumps and dips in my yard to keep it from scalping. With the reel mower I don't have to be as careful to not scalp so I can keep the yard more consistently green.
> 
> Wish I could have it both ways but since I'm using a greens mower I can't get too high because it won't cut correctly.
> 
> I still do get people asking if they can lay on it or run barefoot through it even when short! :lol:
Click to expand...


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## fp_911

MsTin said:


> Ummmmm, I think that the rotary looks better. Sorry if you take offense, that is not my intention. But IMHO It looks like a beautiful green cloud that you just want to lay in. The reel mowed one is very flat yes, but it doesn't scream comfort. It's more like, 'don't touch me"...... Which is not a bad message to send in the front yard. :lol:


No offense taken because I actually prefer a more plush lawn myself. In fact the lack of that soft feeling is something I miss from my previous tall fescue lawn.

The problem I have with the rotary is that I have to maintain a constant speed and work around some of the bumps and dips in my yard to keep it from scalping. With the reel mower I don't have to be as careful to not scalp so I can keep the yard more consistently green.

Wish I could have it both ways but since I'm using a greens mower I can't get too high because it won't cut correctly.

I still do get people asking if they can lay on it or run barefoot through it even when short! :lol:


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## Cjames1603

My suggestion would be a single blade rider like a snapper. Way better cut than a double blade.


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## cglarsen

I love this thread - gives me hope.....

I'm going to try and scalp at 1.5" this spring (low as the deck will go) and maintain it as close to that as I can.

@Cory Did you ever figure out the issue with the uneven cut?


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## Cory

@cglarsen I had gotten the deck almost perfectly level but it still cuts uneven. I'm hoping it's just because the backyard needs to be leveled. I will be putting 25-30 yards of sand back there this spring.


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## cglarsen

Cory said:


> @cglarsen I had gotten the deck almost perfectly level but it still cuts uneven. I'm hoping it's just because the backyard needs to be leveled. I will be putting 25-30 yards of sand back there this spring.


Oh nice - I'm planning on spot leveling with about half that amount of sand. How do you plan to do it?


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## Cory

@cglarsen I have a drag mat and landscape rake. I did my front yard last year, you can see the pics in my lawn journal https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3860
[url=https://postimg.cc/V5J4FjLb]...-A5-3-A95-4-DE1-A2-F1-60840-ACAD180.jpg[/IMG]


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## datcope

@Cory Is you drag mat this drag mat? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014SY8B18/?coliid=I30VKAMKQD4OLB&colid=2ZDDUO21GQGFT&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


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## Cory

datcope said:


> @Cory Is you drag mat this drag mat? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014SY8B18/?coliid=I30VKAMKQD4OLB&colid=2ZDDUO21GQGFT&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


Yep, that's the one I have


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## datcope

@Cory great, that is what I plan on using!


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## cglarsen

Cory said:


> @cglarsen I have a drag mat and landscape rake. I did my front yard last year, you can see the pics in my lawn journal https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3860
> [/quote]
> Awesome, that is a kick-*** lawn journal!


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## Cory

@cglarsen thanks!


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