[Darrell]

My lawn is lumpy for some reason. The pix are taken at 3". I usually mow at a HOC of 2.5". I leveled the lawn with sand this spring for the first time. Are the low areas just slow to break through and catch up with the rest? Is my HOC wrong? That is, in no mans land? What do you think?

 

[TC2]

I'm going to take a guess you've got at least two types of grass with different growing rates. The blade widths on the closeups look too thick for bermuda to me.

Edit: Pull some out, including any stolons from the high and low areas.

 

[raymond]

3 inches sounds a bit high, no? Maybe if you mow lower and more frequently it'll force the grass to look level with the lower areas. Just a thought

 

[Darrell]

Really. Dang.
Maybe the whole lawn is not bermuda?

 

[Darrell]

3 inches sounds a bit high, no? Maybe if you mow lower and more frequently it'll force the grass to look level with the lower areas. Just a thought

That has crossed my mind.

 

[Durso81]

Yeah 3" is high for Bermuda. Mow lower and more often. If you can only mow once a week drop it down to 2" see if you can maintain it at that height without scalping. If you can mow more then that you can go even lower or look into using a pgr. I maintain mowing mine once a week at 1.25" using a pgr.

 

[Durso81]

Looking back at your pics and trying to zoom in, I would agree with TC2 those grass blades look a little to wide to be Bermuda.

 

[Darrell]

That's doable, probably, without a pgr. I mow every four days or so.

@@TC2 , Ill do that tomorrow and post pics.

 

[Darrell]

Went ahead and took them tonight.

Tall clumps.


Low areas.


Other lawn pics.
Unusual transition area in foreground.


This spot gets the least sun.

 

[TC2]

I'm thinking zoysia for the pullouts. Can't say I see any significant difference from high or low though.

The unusual transition looks like bermuda and the least sun area has bermuda stolons.

 

[Darrell]

I have oft wondered if I had zoysia. It's the predominant turf, I have heard, in my neighborhood. If it's zoysia, would that change my HOC?

I think I might flag down a lawn service guy I see in the neighborhood and ask him what it is. I'll let you know.

 

[Spammage]

@Darrell the grass you pulled is a zoysia japonica. The thin area photo also shows some bermuda. Zoysia japonica can be maintained higher, but will be more prone to fungal issues and get very thatchy.

 

[kur1j]

Yeah I would agree with @Spammage that the stuff you pulled and the stuff in the "Unusual transition area" in the background would be Zoysia. The stuff in the foreground and the things with the runners and thinner leaf blades would be bermuda would be my guess.

 

[Darrell]

Makes sense. Since zoysia is the predominant grass, how can I get it to cover the Bermuda areas?

 

[Rockinar]

Looks like Zoysia to me. I dont see any Bermuda at all. Those runners look like Zoysia too. Too big to be Bermuda.

 

[Spammage]

A proplugger might be your best bet. If the bermuda is growing at all, then I have no doubt that the zoysia will survive whatever shade exists. Zoysia takes it's time spreading, so the more plugs you can get into the area the better. Keeping the soil in this area moist will help also.

 

[Darrell]

Time to go change my grass type in my profile.

I learn something new everyday here.