[Lawn_newbie]

The lawn is Bermuda cut at 2.5". What would be the ideal approach to getting the grass down to 1"?

Should I fertilizer heavy before I start cutting lower, water after cutting, how much time between the new cut, etc... I have searched and not been able to find anything advice on doing this.. Also, if it is possible to just go low and deal with it looking like garbage for a couple weeks I am ok, with that.

 

[randy]

I am in the same boat. My suggestion is to cut every day right now even if you stay at 2.5". Get some fert. down and gradually lower that blade.

 

[FATC1TY]

So I would say, one if you are able to cut at 1" with your mower and level of lawn,

You'll need to abide by the 1/3 rule, so I would scalp it down to atleast ,5 inch and then toss some fertilizer and a bunch of water in it. Let
It grow in, and give it a cut when it's around an inch or so,

It'll look like crap for two weeks probably, but don't worry. You didn't kill it! Don't step down. Just go below it and allow it to grow up to your wanted HOC. Ugly once, not all summer!

 

[FATC1TY]

I am in the same boat. My suggestion is to cut every day right now even if you stay at 2.5". Get some fert. down and gradually lower that blade.

Gradual height down does nothing good.

Chop it down, let it grow. If you keep going lower slowly it'll always scalp it. It'll never recover and will look like garbage and stress out. Scalp below your desired height and let it grow up back to it.

 

[randy]

Thanks. I'll adjust the plan for myself as well. I'm always afraid that if I cut to brown, it will all die.

 

[Jimefam]

Interesting. I had assumed that gradual cutting down to the desired hoc was better then going from say 3.5" to 1" all of the sudden

 

[raldridge2315]

You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.

 

[randy]

You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.

A new stand of it certainly could IMO. Maybe it would take the right conditions and one could argue it wasn't the mower alone... and maybe it would take more than one mowing, but i'm almost certain I could kill a new stand with the mower.

 

[raldridge2315]

You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.

A new stand of it certainly could IMO. Maybe it would take the right conditions and one could argue it wasn't the mower alone... and maybe it would take more than one mowing, but i'm almost certain I could kill a new stand with the mower.

This is the only mention of new grass throughout the thread. I would agree that if a blade is in such bad condition as to rip the new grass out of the ground, that it will probably die. But if there is any green left and it's still rooted, it will live with water and sunshine. Beyond that, I'll stick with what I said and just leave it to what ever you think.

 

[Durso81]

To my understanding you want to scalp it down below the height of cut you want to maintain. Or else you will always see brown when you cut. So for example if you want to maintain at 1" you would need to scalp it probably down at least too 3/4".

 

[Ware]

You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.

Quote of the day. :thumbup:

 

[raymond]

You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.

Quote of the day. :thumbup:

:lol:

And I agree with lowering the HOC below the maintenance HOC for the initial scalp cut :thumbup:

 

[Ware]

:mrgreen:

https://youtu.be/yyomc_0oIK8

 

[dfw_pilot]

+1. Mowing bermuda below ground level won't kill it, it will actually improve it.

 

[wardconnor]

You cannot kill bermuda grass with a lawn mower.

Lawn mower? I thought you could not kill bermuda grass period.

 

[dfw_pilot]

Lawn mower? I thought you could not kill bermuda grass period.

It's only kryptonite is shade.

 

[Tellycoleman]

:mrgreen:

Your a lawn nerd if you look at that video and ask.

I wonder if I could have those stolons? Are they just gonna throw that away?

 

[randy]

How long would it take to come back from this?

:mrgreen:

 

[Greendoc]

One month or less. Not cutting Bermuda or Zoysia down to the dirt just increases the work and prolongs the time it looks ugly vs cutting it completely down. Convention is to take off just a little at a time. When you constantly mow but not at the low height, it causes the remaining layer to really thicken up. I cuss everyone who mows consistently and frequently but not low enough then hands over the lawn to me to deal with thatch/grain, uneven ground. Because their frequent high mowing has created a god awful layer of thick grass and thatch for me to strip off.

 

[randy]

@Greendoc LOL. That's me! So let's say I already put down a PGR. Is it too late to scalp?