Scalping is an important spring lawn care tip but not for everyone! Why you shouldn't scalp grass.

[@deanevangelista6359]

I have a zoysia lawn in zone 7A, and I’ve found that when I’ve scalped in the past, the weeds would become stronger, and I don’t use any chemicals on my lawn to suppress them.

[@BudgetLawns]

Good point. That can happen since the soil is being exposed for more weeds to find a home. Thanks for watching.

[@richardharwell]

"First" !!! and I'm a cool season lawn dude. The closest I get to scalping is cutting about a quarter inch lower than what I want to set my height of cut at for the year. Good stuff ! My garbage truck just stopped by when yours did in the video . 😬

[@BudgetLawns]

🤣🤣🤣 too funny. You got it figured out. With cool season, that's all it needs. Just a pinch lower than where you maintain. Appreciate ya watching as always man. Thank you!

[@DaddingAllDay]

#3 is an EXCELLENT point! Something that is overlooked or not even considered. Well thought out video. To Scalp or NOT to Scalp 😉

[@BudgetLawns]

Thank you buddy. I almost didn't do this video, because you did such a great job with yours. Then I figured what the heck...👊

[@DaddingAllDay]

@@BudgetLawns Nah... this topic is excellent. Gotta give people options.

[@BudgetLawns]

You are right about that! 👊

[@SuperTA329]

I dont scalp but I do take my KBG from approx 1 - 1/4" down gradually down to 1/2" and mow it 4 or 5 times per week once it starts to take off. Its absolutely amazing how it thickens and then gradually bring height of cut back up before the dreaded summer heat that the KBG doesn't like. Seems to work out very well. I sometimes wish I lived a little further south just to experience that Alpha grass. 👊🏼. Your going to kill it this year.

[@BudgetLawns]

I like your system. You’ve figured out what works. Great job man. Appreciate ya watching and the kind words. Looking forward to getting things whipped into shape.

[@lanieroutside]

Reason 4: It is a ton of work! Scalped my 10k front lawn today and boy was it a workout even with a toro time master.

[@BudgetLawns]

Indeed it is. Good thing it’s only once, maybe twice, a year. Appreciate ya watching. Good luck this season!

[@amandadavis9726]

That 10k ain’t a lot of work!!! Come out here,…I’ll show you 85k, lol.

[@josephr2766]

Second season of really trying to take care of my Bermuda. I’m not scalping this season. Just don’t want to. Did it last year and the Dallisgrass took advantage and out competed in large sections of the backyard.

[@BudgetLawns]

Fantastic comment! I didn't scalp my second season at my first home. Same thing. You just made me think...there's reason 4...You just don't want to. Love it! Thanks man. Appreciate ya watching and the feedback. 👊👍

[@Tommytoolsqueezer]

Thank you for this!! I’ve been waiting for someone to do a video for cooler season grass!!

[@BudgetLawns]

You’re welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@wadebagent3390]

As always, solid advice. My best friend's dad is doing a lawn reno and he came to me for advice. He is not listening to me at all, very frustrating. So, I told him, if you don't like what I have to say, go check out this guy, and I sent him to your channel. I don't know if he'll listen to you either but at least he's not bugging me anymore. By the way, can too much rain wash away pre-emergent after it's been watered in for about a week?

[@BudgetLawns]

Typical, huh? That's usually how it goes when I try to help people I know. They won't listen. I guess they wanna learn the hard way. Appreciate ya sending him my way. Maybe I'll get him to break lol. I don't think it will. I've had heavy rain after applying, but after that long of being watered in, it should be set. Appreciate ya as always bro!

[@alsonngambom09]

really helpful. i was wondering when to scalp my newly grown burmuda grass

[@BudgetLawns]

Glad it helps. Appreciate ya watching and commenting!

[@PacificNorthwestLawns]

I struggle every time I make a video with the noise like you had to deal with. It's frustrating at times. 😁 Great video Travis! 👊🏼

[@BudgetLawns]

Thanks bud. Yeah it can be. What’s more frustrating is I can keep rolling but you’ve always got those commenters that whine about background sound. Today, i said so what. One take and done as most my videos are. Appreciate ya!

[@six_texas903]

Good video! I’m still waitin on my St. Aug to green up 😆

[@BudgetLawns]

Thanks buddy! Was down in TX last weekend catching a flight out of DFW. My in-laws St. Aug had some signs of life. Hope yours takes off soon.

[@SunnyBermuda]

🌞Yeah, I haven't scalped yet. Great video! Did your builder do a decent job on laying your sod, or did they throw it down and leave? That darn trash truck! 😂

[@BudgetLawns]

Never fails 😂😂. They did a great job with the grade and drainage system. I'll do a video about that soon. Lots of rocks left behind with sod laid right over them. Gaps in the sod. Lots of bumps. So, it could be better. Just gives me more to work on, which will be fun 😎😎 Appreciate ya watching man.

[@mitchcooper107]

Thank you so much for teaching some of us! Your videos are very much needed. I have learned a lot from you, while enjoying this brand new lawn hobby for me! I would like to ask a question and get your opinion. I had new construction Bermuda sod laid in March and didn’t scalp this year. My first cut of the season was the second lowest setting (1.75”). This summer I’m starting to notice a lot of the browning stalk is the same height as the green grass. Do you think I should raise my height of cut one notch (2.25”) for the rest of the year or continue to cut this height (1.75”) so that the grass will remain low? Thank you for replying to all your comments. I am already looking forward to next spring and getting off to a better start. At least I’ll have somewhat of an idea on what I’m doing! And your new lawn and landscaping is looking great!!

[@BudgetLawns]

Appreciate that. Thank you for the support. Glad I'm able to help out. I had a similar thing happening on my new bermuda lawn and raised it to 2.25 and things are looking much better until I'm able to level next year. Give that a shot. It has to be trained to be mowed low as it's usually not at the sod farm. Thanks again.

[@mitchcooper107]

@@BudgetLawns great! I will definitely give it a shot. Thanks again for you advice!

[@BudgetLawns]

👊👊

[@tookster7483]

My sod is 1 year old and I decided to scalp about 3 weeks ago. I'm really confused because my sod is not greening up as quick as my neighbors who as you say "have garden salads" lol. Does the turf take longer to recover from a scalp versus grass growing through dormant material (unscalped lawn)?

[@BudgetLawns]

Your greening up will be largely determined by temperatures. You really need them to be around 80 during the day and 50s at night before it will start showing much green. Once it hits 90s plus during the day and 60-70s at night, that's when it goes nuts. Are you sure their green is bermuda? It's likely weeds or some annual grasses. Thanks for watching and the questions. Hope this helps.

[@tookster7483]

@@BudgetLawns Yep our whole HOA (yea, i know) has celebration bermuda. Here in Houston we havent really seen any sustained temps above 80C yet, so i guess its a waiting game. Thanks for all you do.

[@BudgetLawns]

👍👍

[@AndrewDobek04]

All valid points not to scalp. I'm cool season and all I do is take my mower down one setting for the first cut of the year, that's it. No scalp but since I'm cutting tall that one setting lower allows me to cut off some of the frost burnt tips and stimulates the grass to start growing

[@BudgetLawns]

You know what you’re doing my friend. 👍👍 thanks for watching and chiming in as always bud.

[@phukyew14]

I put down Anderson's Pre-Emergent on my zoysia a couple weeks ago when soil temps were 52° to 55°. Soil temps are now 60° to 65°. Would now be a good time to scalp and fertilize? Great video by the way.

[@BudgetLawns]

Appreciate that. Check this video out. It’ll really break down the timing of those tasks for ya. Thanks for watching. Time These 3 SPRING LAWN CARE TIPS Correctly // Simple Steps to Start Your Lawn Season In Spring kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4CYYYKNaNGWe9E

[@tnhawkeye6155]

I love your channel. Been following for a few years but the difference between scalping with a reel mower and a residential rotary are worlds different. The lowest residential rotary I know of goes to about .75”. That’s not even close to “taking it to dirt”. I’m sure at your new house you are going to put a rotary on it this spring to remove some of the dead material. For anyone without a reel mower that is considered a scalp. Totally agree with number one but 2 and 3 really depend on the mower that you own.

[@BudgetLawns]

Totally get what you’re saying and see your point to an extent. But we can split hairs about a lot of things. Before I leveled my old lawn I couldn’t even scalp on the lowest setting (1.25) with a rotary mower without hitting dirt because it was so bumpy. So hitting dirt can mean different things. My new lawn has a lot of work to do before I take a reel mower to it. Maybe not even this year. I may be strictly rotary mowing this year. Time will tell. If you saw my lawn right now, you’d see why it shouldn’t be scalped. Lots of folks getting jaded to regular homeowner lawn care because of how advanced it has become. Most people will never level their lawn so a rotary will hit dirt in spots and be high in others. Just the way it is. Thanks for the support of the channel. Appreciate your comments.

[@josephballance2319]

I have Bermuda lawn that got to tall over 3 inches. I'm going to cut down to 1 3/4 inches Do I or should I bag the clippings since there will be a large amount of clipings? Should I scalp? I get alot of information from your videos. Thanks for the help

[@BudgetLawns]

Depends on where you’re located. If you’re in an area where it’s about to get cold, I wouldn’t scalp it or take that much off. I’m around 2.5-2.75 in preparation for fall and winter. Thanks for supporting the videos. Appreciate ya.

[@JohnathonStephan]

I was silly enough to scalp my lawn bermuda turf at the start of winter what can I do to help it come back

[@BudgetLawns]

All you can really do now is wait for it to warm up and green up. Then you’ll see if it caused any problems. I bet you’ll be just fun for the most part. Thanks for watching.

[@squid8616]

I got a new (new to me) rotary lawn mower this year. i went to scalp and my lawn is too bumpy for this mower to be on its lowest setting(#1). so I raised it up one level (#2) for the scalp, and then used a dethatching blade after I scalped on the next level up (#3) and bagged all the clippings and thatch. I was planning on cutting my lawn this year at the level that I ended up scalping it at (#2). does this mean I have to raise my height of cut up a level higher to #3 when I'm cutting throughout the year?

[@BudgetLawns]

Nice work. It's usually recommended to take it up a notch higher than where you scalped. You could always try it at the same one and see what happens. I have before and everything worked great. Appreciate ya watching!

[@gcan25able]

Good to know thanks.

[@BudgetLawns]

You’re welcome. Thank you for checking out my videos.

[@jtmacready]

so...if you do have a well established zoysia lawn...you should scalp annually?

[@BudgetLawns]

I would at least once in the spring. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching.

[@johnhamilton9229]

Ok, i caved in. I scalped my Bermuda today. Green is about 90-95%. Pinehurst is in the zone.

[@BudgetLawns]

Very nice. When it's time, it's time. Appreciate ya!

[@Striperman]

Great advice and here is some for you. Contact the sanitation department and let them know to change their pick up schedule. Don't they realize this is important content. 😁

[@BudgetLawns]

😂😂😂 the nerve of them. Thanks so much bud. Appreciate ya!

[@kstryker06]

How do scalp grass without getting burrs, stickers, or killing the grass?

[@BudgetLawns]

Unfortunately, there’s really only one way to do it. Mow as low as ya can and bag the clippings. It’s not killing the grass. Here’s my step by step process. Thanks for watching. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJerpKeabc6des0

[@BermudaBrian]

👍🏻

[@BudgetLawns]

👊👊

[@billy2bob63]

Reason 4 don't want too Most important this year Reason 5 I can't afford the gas to scalp! 👍😛

[@BudgetLawns]

😂👍👍 Both very good reasons. Thanks for adding those. 👊

[@tookster7483]

Oh come on, use your manual reel mower, put your back into it! 🤣

[@TejasToolMan]

Scalp half and burn off the rest at 3am, mines crossfire Bermuda (very fine blade thick Bermuda)

[@BudgetLawns]

👍👍 sounds like a plan.

[@Highcastle_of_Geek]

Salad bars of weeds…lol. I refer to them as weed nurseries and probably 90% of my subdivision meets this description. And, these aren’t cheap houses but no one takes any pride anymore.

[@BudgetLawns]

Haha. You ain’t wrong about that. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@scottlarkin4748]

Nice doo

[@BudgetLawns]

Thanks man!

[@ryan44price]

The cursed weed salad bars!

[@BudgetLawns]

😂😂 yup. Thanks man.

[@lawn2learn]

The newly hired trash guy always leaves the street jacked up 😂🤣😂

[@BudgetLawns]

Haha, it was super windy today so stuff was a flying. We had a tornado early this morning closing the school district my wife and I work at. A wild day in NWA.

[@kingkon164]

Also don't scalp if you have trash flying onto your lawn.

[@BudgetLawns]

LOL true that. Thanks for watching!

[@Joe-wy2tv]

I am joe

[@BudgetLawns]

Hi joe.