Advice needed- Scalped Bermuda Tifway 419
I recently purchased a manual reel mower so I would be able to mow my tifway 419 lower than with my rotary. At this point the lowest I am daring to go is 1.25 inches because the builder did such a horrible job leveling the yard before laying the sod, there are areas I would hit dirt I think.
This sod was laid last fall, and I had been maintaining it at about 2.25 inches using a rotary mower until about 15 days ago when I got my reel mower and cut it down to 1.25 inches. It was looking pretty good at 2.25, but I want to do better.
About half of the yard took it pretty well, while the other half looks scalped now (all green cutoff and only stems left). I have mowed it every 3-4 days since, but the parts that are scalped seem to just get re-scalped each time I mow now.
Will those areas learn to grow at the lower height or should I bring the mower up .25 inches or so until next spring and scalp it earlier in the year? My lawn was about 95% greened up when I lowered the height to 1.25 inches. Did I make a mistake cutting it lower at this point in the year? I'm in Austin.
Comments (16)
chaoticut
11 years ago
nate123
11 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (12)See if that pic loads.... Yes on irrigation both installation and use. I am very happy that you responded TW, your other posts have all been extremely informative. Thanks for the assist there Andy. :-) The grass will be the rounded off triangle shape, approx 1300sqft, the three circles that intersect and create the rounded corners will be 12ft sprinkler heads and the gaps on the straight edges will be filled in with larger than drawn 10ft half circle spray heads. The circle that is not symetrical with the rest of the lawn will be the tipu, the circle indicates the eventual possible root bulge zone that I wanted to keep concrete away from, same for the two outside the grass area, those will be chinese pistache. Hope that makes sense and that the picture is clear enough, just got home from a 12hr nightshift. :-)...See MoreTifway 419 - Rotary or Reel Mower
Comments (2)I just ordered a manual reel mower (Great States 16 inch 7-Blade, which is apparently the best manual mower for Bermuda, and better than the Brill and Sunlawns for Bermuda). I though about getting a gas powered reel mower, but decided again it because by lawn has a lot of curves and turns and thought that a manual reel would be easier to maneuvier. I plan on scalping with my gas powered rotary at lowest setting, and then use the new reel mower to further cut it down to 0.5 inches (and keep mowing it at that height at least 2x per week, if possible - which will be a big change from 3 inches last year). My lawn is also a little bumpy in some areas, and I plan on leveling with sand (type unknown) in June....See MoreTrouble with my backyard Tifway 419
Comments (7)I had a problem with spotted spurge several weeks ago, so I applied some 2-4D to the lawn using my garden hose. Although I was careful not to over-apply, it's tricky to figure out just how much is being applied through those bottles that attach to a hose. The spotted spurge has all but disappeared, but now I am faced with a new issue: the lawn just doesn't seem healthy, and in some spots it seems either dormant or dead. OK I know what the problem is, and I know where Round Rock TX is just north of Austin. I have relatives just to the West of you in Marble Falls. I also know a thing or two about the Bible and Bermuda grass. It has been a early and hot spring in TX, especially from Dallas and points south. In your area it has also been dry and hot right? What is going on is your Bermuda Grass is stunned from 2,4-D application in too warm of weather. It also sounds like you might of applied too much using a hose end sprayer which compounded your problem. Post-emergence herbicides like 2,4-D should not be used when daytime temps hit 85+ degrees or else it will burn the grass and/or even make it go dormant. If extreme temps above 90 and over application you can do some real damage to it. Fear not my friend. Ease up on the fertilizer for a while and keep it watered. It will come back. Is it Tan or straw colored? Or is it dark like gray or charcoal colored? Tan/Straw colored is stunned dormant grass. Dark and crunchy is dead. Even if it is dead the surrounding grass will fill it back in with proper care. Good Luck TW...See MoreBermuda: Post Scalping Recovery
Comments (15)Torx, it is really too late in the season to do this now. I agree with Tak2, go ahead and raise the cutting height now to 1-inch, then to 1.24 around mid September. This will insulte the ground from freezing temps and give the that Emerald Green color you are seeking. It will bew the first cut of golf rough rather than the fairway, FORGET A PUTTING GREEN look with your variety of grass, not going to happen. Your last fert appl should be about a month before your first frost. Next spring once you see it about 50 to 75% green, start with your fert app that includes P & K. Get a soil test now to know where you stand. If PH is off treat it ASAP then again next Feb for spring green up. Then take it down to 1/2-inch, rake up the debris. topdress, aerate, fert etc. Then raise to 3/4 and hold it there. Then you will have that fairway look you are wanting next season. I promise you it will work if you will be patient and put in the expense and sweat equity....See Morerager_w
11 years agoYou will need to use sand to level the lawn. Top soil will breakdown (not a bad thing, just won't aid in leveling).
Here's my lawn after the service levelled, before I watered. You can see it takes alot of sand and effort. I was cutting at 2" to avoid cxrop circles. Now I can easily cut at 7/8."
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