Bermuda grass is a warm-season turf prized for its dense growth and exceptional durability, making it a favorite for lawns in warmer climates. This aggressive grass variety naturally tolerates an extremely low cutting height, which is the secret to achieving a thick, carpet-like appearance. However, its vigorous growth habit means that proper cutting technique is essential for managing its density and preserving its health. Mastering the specific requirements for mowing Bermuda grass will prevent it from becoming thin and leggy while ensuring a healthy, uniform turf throughout the active season.
Selecting and Preparing Your Mower
The choice of mowing equipment directly influences the final look and health of a Bermuda lawn, especially given the low heights this species prefers. A standard rotary mower, which cuts with a high-speed spinning blade, is sufficient for maintaining common Bermuda varieties at a height of 1.5 to 2 inches. However, for the signature golf-course quality cut below 1.5 inches, a reel mower is necessary. Reel mowers utilize a scissor-like action, trapping the grass blade between a spinning reel and a fixed bedknife to achieve an exceptionally clean, precise cut.
Whether using a rotary or a reel mower, blade sharpness is a non-negotiable requirement for Bermuda grass care. A dull blade will tear the grass rather than slicing it cleanly, leaving ragged, brown tips that stress the plant and increase its vulnerability to disease. Inspecting the blades regularly and ensuring they are honed is a simple way to maintain a clean-cut appearance and promote faster healing of the leaf tissue. Managing the clippings is also important, and while mulching works with frequent cuts, bagging is generally recommended for very low cuts or during periods of heavy growth to prevent excessive thatch accumulation.
Establishing the Ideal Cutting Height and Frequency
Routine mowing during the active summer growing season demands strict adherence to two specific principles: the optimal cutting height and the one-third rule. Bermuda grass performs best when maintained between 0.5 and 1.5 inches, depending on the cultivar and the type of mower used. Cutting it too high encourages vertical growth, which leads to a thin, sparse canopy and can create a thick layer of dead material near the soil surface.
The one-third rule dictates that you should never remove more than one-third of the grass blade height in a single mowing session. If the grass has grown to three inches, for example, you should only cut off a maximum of one inch, bringing the height down to two inches. Violating this rule severely stresses the plant by stripping away too much of the photosynthetic leaf surface. It also exposes the pale, brown underlayer of the turf, resulting in the unsightly discoloration known as scalping damage.
Due to its aggressive growth, especially during the hottest months, Bermuda grass often requires mowing every three to five days to comply with the one-third rule. This high frequency prevents the grass from becoming too tall, which would force you to remove too much material at once, causing damage. To ensure a truly even cut and prevent the formation of ruts in the turf, it is also beneficial to alternate your mowing direction by 45 to 90 degrees with each cut.
Managing Seasonal Mowing Transitions
The seasonal changes at the beginning and end of the growing season require specific, non-routine cutting procedures to prepare the turf for dormancy and then encourage spring green-up. Spring scalping involves cutting the dormant, brown turf down to an extremely low height, often 0.5 inches or less. This action removes the dead winter growth and any accumulated thatch, allowing sunlight to penetrate the soil more effectively.
Timing is crucial for this initial cut; it should be performed after the final threat of frost has passed, but before the grass begins its active spring growth. The warmer soil temperatures that result from exposing the ground help accelerate the turf’s transition out of dormancy, promoting a uniform green-up. It is mandatory to bag and remove all the resulting debris from the scalping cut, as leaving this dense, dead material on the lawn will smother new growth and contribute to a thick thatch layer.
As the season winds down in the fall, a different transition strategy is employed to prepare the grass for winter dormancy. Instead of cutting lower, the height should be gradually raised slightly, typically by about half an inch, to a final height between 1.5 and 2 inches. This increased leaf surface area allows the plant to maximize carbohydrate storage in its root system, providing insulation and energy reserves. Once the first hard frost arrives and the grass turns completely brown, all mowing can cease until the following spring.