OK let's first define Scalping because it has two different meanings based on context. 1. In early Spring should scalp our Bermuda and Zoysia to remove the dead straw colored grass from the previous season to promote early green up, remove some thatch, and a good way to control spring weeds. 2. Unfortunately every Bermuda and Zoysia owners will at some time scalp the lawn in the summer. I do not mean cutting it to the ground, I mean removing too much at one time leaving you with a brown lawn. The root cause is too long of a period between mowing. It happens to everyone with a Bermuda or Zoysia lawn. Something comes up like vacation or biz taking your time and you miss time to mow. It is normal. In Summer time, especially after a rain, Bermuda grows real fast. So fast you can almost see and hear it growing. OK to answer your question your Celebration Bermuda should be maintained as low as .5 inches and no more than 1.5 inches to keep it in peak condition. OK you have let it go beyond that, no problem just gradually take it down by not exceeding the 1/3 rule. That means mowing every other day lowering the height one click at a time until you get where you want The 1/3 rule does apply so chose your cutting height wisely. If maintained at .5 inch means mowing just about every day because Bermuda grass can grow .25 inch in a day. At 1 inch means about every other day, and 1.5 inch every 3 or 4 days. So keep that in mind and know what you are asking for.

Then mow it as short as possible. Don't be fooled into thinking that cutting low will eliminate the lower grade common because it will not, but it will keep it at minimum. Once a Bermuda grass purity is violated, it is forever soiled until replaced. Proper maintenance will slow the process down. Unless you use a greens reel mower cutting down to 1/4 inch making a putting green, you will never be able to tell which is which. At typical homeowner heights of 1.5 inches with a rotary mower you will never be able to spot much difference.

Thanks - I have a power reel mower and there's no way with my work schedule that I could mow 2-3 times a week. We have had a lot of rain in Central Florida this summer, most recently from a tropical storm. I have my Tru-Cut sent on the highest setting now, which appears to leave the grass at about 1" to 1 1/4" or so. Quite possibly, I am cutting off more than 1/3 of the blade. Fertilization is being handled by Tru Green, but I'm not sure about chinch bug control. I am seeing more and more patch and sparse areas. Maybe I should have chosen Empire Zoysia when I resodded instead of Bermuda ?

I am in the piedmont also, what a lot of people refer to as zone 7 but I don't believe in zones so I don't use them myself but the temps you mention are similar to here. I would never get to raise the height much because come september when the temperature plummets so does the growth rate of this grass and even with fertilizer I haven't been able to get a significant increase in height after cutting it short for the whole season. Nothing major bad has happened to it. Lost a little bit last year but it wasn't a big deal bad might have actually been from a late freeze. In this area, this is when the optimal growing time for Bermuda comes to an end. It will slow down and lighten up and the zig zag marks come next month then it's all over. So I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted.