What is your height of cut? And how many blades on your reel?

 

This is a good resource for Toro GMs: https://www.turfproductscorp.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Service-Training-Aftercut-Appearance-Troubleshooting.pdf

 

Yep, Looks like mower bobbing.

 

I am not sure on the number of blades. I am pretty sure it's just the standard number that comes with this mower.

Height of cut is 0.8"
This only looks like this in the front yard.

 

That third picture also looks like you're not getting a clean cut.

 

Yeah, I looked at that resource. I am just confused as to why it would do it just in the front yard.

I do agree, the grass dose not seem to be cutting evenly. I just attributed this to my uneven yard. The yard was sodded 2 years ago and this was my first leveling job.

 

Yeah, I looked at that resource. I am just confused as to why it would do it just in the front yard.

I do agree, the grass dose not seem to be cutting evenly. I just attributed this to my uneven yard. The yard was sodded 2 years ago and this was my first leveling job.

It's a combination of Turf and mower issues. If the turf in the backyard turf is in better condition, the result may not be as visible. Most folks level and go. But the fact is, once the grass reestablishes through the sand, goes through some rain/watering and maybe a first mow, you will need to level again. Not as heavy as the initial round, but that level, good looking sand will shift and move from weather and the mower. In my case, there is never a scenario where an almost immediate second leveling round is not required.

Slopes impact leveling jobs heavily after watering as well. All these factors are the reason I always recommend round 2.

Bobbing is much more visible when using a heavy mower like a Toro.

 

I have a small section with this issue after my 1st level earlier in June as well. Looks worse than before leveling lol. Like others said, it's from shifting, water movement, traffic. Just gives you more reasons to sand level again next season.

 

Thank you. I just don't know if I have it in me to do any more leveling this year.

 

I had this same look early this season with my Jacobsen triplex. It was two things for me- Driving too fast and needing to backlap. I was cutting bermuda and it was doing this. Cutting zoysia would be even worse due to the thickness. Trying slowing down a bit and giving it a backlap. A last resort would be a HOC reset and/or verticut.

 

When you're walking with your GM1000, you want to apply a little but up upward pressure on the handle (pulling up on it slightly). This will cause the front roller to stay down on the ground more and not bounce up and down creating washboards. Most people tend to just walk behind their reel mower and barely touch it, or even apply downward pressure on the pressure which encourages the front to lift up and stay up longer after hitting a small undulation. Try doing the opposite and see if it doesn't look better

 

Make sure to change cutting direction with each mow as well until things settle/lock in better. Once the effect starts, it will increase with each succesive pass in the same direction. Even doing a "#" double cut will help keep it smoothed until it stabilizes better.

...... on the note of applying upward handle pressure when mowing .... I have an olderJacobsen greens mower. The catcher like most is plastic. Even with it in place the front end is fairly light. I noticed early on that the cut would get better and better as the catcher filled with grass. Having some steel around, I put a piece in my catcher. The added weight greatly improved the uniformity and quality of my cut.

Future plans include making a new grass catcher and adding some forward ballast for a better weight balance upfront.

 

1: What type of grass do you have in back compared to front? Is the front yard more dense?
2: Depending on your FOC (frequency of cut), blade count, and walking speed. Your reel may not be able to keep up with the cutting. This creates washboarding
3: What was the height of the grass in the back before you cut to .800" compared to the height in the front before you cut. If I have gone an extra day without cutting, I am more proned to washboarding since I am trying to cut off more.

 

You are cutting too fast, on and unlevel surface causing it to washboard.

If you don't have an 8 blade reel, at that HOC, you'll be more apt to see it show up. The grass isn't getting pulled into the bedknife fast enough for the clip.

Slow down, keep the front end down, and double cut it. Otherwise go lower, it'll be less noticeable.