[Darrell]

Good morning

I've always kept my bermuda lawn cut pretty high (never measured) because it looked greener than when cut lower. I've seen some of you guys' YouTube videos of beautiful lawns that you cut really low. But I don't think any of these lawns were Bermuda.

I have a Craftsman rotary mower. A new mower is not in the budget this year.

Can one get a bermuda lawn as low as with other grasses? Is there a recommended height? Over what period of time does one successfully lower ones HOC? Is that mowing to mowing or season to season or somewhere in between?

 

[w0lfe]

Couple things, what type of bermuda do you have?

Hybrids can get extremely low, although a couple on here have a common/U3 bermuda that is insanely low as well.

You need an extremely level lawn if you want to go less than an inch.

If you are planning on less than an inch, you'll need to invest in a reel mower and not be afraid to mow multiple times per week

 

[TC2]

Bermuda grows its leaves on stems. The taller the grass gets, the more the stem rises from the ground to keep the blades in the sun. When you gradually lower the height, you just cut off most of the leaves, leaving the stem, so the grass looks brown and bare. The leaf grows back at the same height, so when you cut it at the same height again, you again cut off the leaf and you're back to brown.

You'll hear the guys on here talk about scalping. What they're doing is cutting the grass below the height they plan to maintain it at. This "resets" leaf position so cutting it at a higher height than the one they scalped at doesn't cut off the entire leaf any more. Additionally, low cut bermuda stops trying to grow upwards to seek light and starts growing outwards, thickening up your ground cover.

 

[Redtenchu]

Good morning

I've always kept my bermuda lawn cut pretty high (never measured) because it looked greener than when cut lower. I've seen some of you guys' YouTube videos of beautiful lawns that you cut really low. But I don't think any of these lawns were Bermuda.

I've posted some videos on YouTube, and it's U3 Bermuda. I believe the only YouTube videos of reel low non-Bermuda grass I've watched is @wardconnor with KBG and @Ware with his PRG over seed.

Can one get a bermuda lawn as low as with other grasses?

Bermuda can go much lower!

Is there a recommended height?

With a craftsman rotary, I'd keep it at or below 2 inches.

Over what period of time does one successfully lower ones HOC?

Id recommend you take it to the lowest setting in early spring (now). Then raise the mower to your desired height and maintain it there.

 

[Flynt2799]

I am currently in the same situation. I always kept my Bermuda above 3", partly because I didn't know better as well as just seeing how everyone else around me was doing it.

I have just finished the scalp, actually going down to the lowest setting on my honda rotary one last time. Definitely looks bare as of now, but hopefully once the lawn really starts to grow it should green up and fill in.

Give it a shot!

 

[Rockinar]

Almost every golf course in the south uses Bermuda for their fairways. So yeah...it can go low.

 

[MasterMech]

Coming from cool season grass, I made the mistake oftrying to work my Height of cut lower gradually.

Cut it as low as you can without hitting the dirt. Remove the debris, and then set your cut height where you want to maintain it, maybe a tad lower for the early season.