Bermudagrass is one of the few turf types that benefits from a spring scalp. The purpose of a spring scalp is to remove as much of the dormant layer of grass as possible. The removal of this dead layer allows nutrients, water, and sunlight to reach the soil layer easier, and in turn, promotes a faster green up of your lawn.

Why Scalp?

Folks with bermudagrass might be interested in scalping in order to green up their lawns faster than their neighbors’. Not only does scalping produce a visually appealing yard, it also helps to reset your height of cut. Only about the top ⅓ of bermudagrass is green and without a height of cut reset, you could be cutting into the crown of your lawn every time you mow, leaving unsightly brown spots.

How to Scalp

The act of scalping your lawn is not a complicated process. All you have to do is lower your height of cut below the height at which you plan to maintain your lawn for the remainder of the season. For instance, if you plan on maintaining your lawn at 2” this season, you could scalp at 1.5”. You’ll want to collect your clippings throughout the scalping process. Just because scalping isn’t complicated doesn’t mean it’s an easy day in the lawn. I have a love/hate relationship with scalping my lawn because I know it will produce nice results, but I also know I’m in for a hard day’s work.

When to Scalp

You’ll want to scalp whenever you start to notice a green haze across your yard. That green haze is new bermudagrass poking through the dormant layer. In my area, this usually happens in early March. Timing will vary depending on where you’re located in the country.

In the weeks after the scalp, your lawn will green up rather quickly. Apply fertilizer and begin your watering routine after you scalp to aid your grass in the recovery process. Make sure to raise your mower to its maintenance height of cut and mow as frequently as possible (at least once a week). If you wait too long between mows you’ll end up with brown patches in your lawn and you’ll either have to raise your height of cut, or re-scalp.