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Reel mower on my bermuda lawn

12 years ago

I installed about 2500 sq feet of bermuda in my front yard last year. It looked good but i roto tilled before i layed the sod ( I know a mistake). I have a rotary mower that i had to raise to 3 inches so it wouldnt scalp. Obviously this is not ideal for bermuda. I want to buy a reel mower soon for this upcoming season. I want to have it before i scalp the yard down in march. My question is since my yard is obviously pretty bumpy what kind of results can i expect from the reel mower? I know i need to topdress and level but I will prob not do that until later in the summer. Will the reel mower still scalp? im not looking to cut it like a golf green but would like to cut it maybe 3/4 and no more than 1 inch. Thanks.

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Comments (4)

grasshole
12 years ago
When you say scalp, are you just cutting off all the green and leaving brown stem behind? Or is it bad enough you are hitting dirt?

Yes, a reel can still scalp down to brown stem, or even hit the dirt on severe lumpiness.

My lawn is by no means perfectly flat, but I CAN cut much lower with a reel vs. rotary.

Any way you could get a pic that shows us "pretty bumpy"?
nitram10
Original Author
12 years ago
Cutting at 3 inches no it doesnt cut into the dirt it just cuts down to brown stem. If i tried to cut it on the lowest setting it may cut into the dirt in some spots. Never tried i just want to be able to cut at least 1" max and for it to looks good without having brown spots all over the yard.
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grasshole
12 years ago
You'll have a much better idea how bumpy your lawn is after that first low cut of the season.

Even the flattest lawn on the block would scalp to brown if the bermuda was maintained to high and you tried to lower it at all. Bermuda gets real leggy and brown under the canopy when it is allowed to grow tall.

You making that first low cut of the season and maintaining it as low as possible from the START will help your problem immensely. But you are dead on.....the flatter the lawn, the better any mower will perform on bermuda.
neilaz
12 years ago
If you are looking to get down to an inch you have much leveling to do. You can usually cut lower with a reel by say 1/4" -1/2". nothing dramatic.

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