Bermuda grass - optimum level to mow?

[miketyler]

So how low do you go? I have seen golf greens that are 1/4-1/2" inch and I have read that Bermuda likes shorter cuts like 1"-1 3/4". That pretty short. I like a thick grass like St Augustine and at my old place during the peak of the season would set my mower up as high as it would go. This will not be the case here with Bermuda.

Am still a bit of a noob to Bermuda but having an acre now with 35pallets of SOD put down am learning quickly. So my question then goes out to the hard-core Bermuda farmers out there (you know who you are). What level does your Bermuda grow best at here in this hot Texas climate and how often do you water?

[bard]

It all depends on which type of bermuda you have.

[mysticcobrakilla]

It all depends on which type of bermuda you have.

x2 Hybrids tend to like it a little taller.......at least mine does.

[miketyler]

How can you identify hybrid Bermuda from the regular garden-variety type Bermuda?

[mysticcobrakilla]

How can you identify hybrid Bermuda from the regular garden-variety type Bermuda?

I do know this much, garden-variety type Bermuda is harder to find than some sort of hybrid. Most of what you can buy is a hybrid these days.

[Tx Redneck]

While I'm not sure of the species here, this is my dads yard that I maintain for him. This is right after mowing it. I measured the length and it's about 3.75-4 inches tall.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g33/Tx_Rednek/DSC00268.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g33/Tx_Rednek/DSC00269.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g33/Tx_Rednek/DSC00271.jpg

[DBEAU2]

Most Bermuda grass likes to be mowed tall 3-4 in. I was told to mow just before the blade sprigs out. By keeping it tall it shades itself and wont need as much water or burn up.

[miketyler]

Those pictures look very much like St Augustine.

So how about water frequency? During drought times, how often do you water? My sprinkller system is setup for once a week with the sprayer zones on 10 mins and rotator zones on 20 mins.

Is twice a week too much for Bermuda? My old St Augustine yard I think I was watering 3-4 times a week

[KCHAR]

While I'm not sure of the species here, this is my dads yard that I maintain for him. This is right after mowing it. I measured the length and it's about 3.75-4 inches tall.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g33/Tx_Rednek/DSC00268.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g33/Tx_Rednek/DSC00269.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g33/Tx_Rednek/DSC00271.jpg

that's st augustine, i just laid 2 pallets of it.:147:

[8mpg]

Bermuda should stay pretty tall.. 3" or so in my book.

Golf courses use a tiff grass I believe. It is not bermuda

[Tx Redneck]

that's st augustine, i just laid 2 pallets of it.:147:

Then what's the species?

[bard]

Tif is a bermuda hybrid. Go find a sod company, they'll usually have sections of different grasses growing to help buyers decide what they want. I know A1 Grass and Stone (http://www.a1grass.com/SodGrass.htm) does.

[DBEAU2]

Now that it's hot you need to go to twice a week watering at least. Some lawns need more often (days) but less time.

[zemog]

Bermuda should stay pretty tall.. 3" or so in my book.

Golf courses use a tiff grass I believe. It is not bermuda

fairways on most courses use 419 tif bermuda (yes it is a bermuda grass) typically mowed at 3/8 to 1/2"
greens vary but 99% around here use bermuda, be it mini verde, champions, 328(old school), tif eagle, etc.. but all are bermuda mowed anywhere from 1/8" to 3/16".

most of the grass you but anymore is 419 we mow our lawns pretty much like any bermuda or st. augustine unless the customer requests it lower, it is just quicker to keep it tall, start low in the spring and raise according to rate of growth, rule of thumb is take of 1/3 of the leaf, unless you are mowing 2 or 3 times weekly this is not going to work so just raise as needed usually to a height of 3" by end of july into august.

[mikeb]

I've got a tiff yard. If you cut it too short the yellow stalk shows and it looks like ass. I start the mower on 2-3 in the spring and then as the summer goes by raise it to 4 when the yellow starts to show, and finish the year on 5 (highest), again, when the yellow starts to show.

Watering - you can get by with twice a week unless it gets over 100. Then it wants water every day. Since i'm restricted to twice a week watering i have to get out and hand water the spots on my yard that are burning up.

[zemog]

we always scalp down the 419 in march then raise accordingly from there, if our lawns were on 4" the sprinklers would never cover over the top of the grass.
the yellow is from cutting into the stem, (too much leaf being cut at one time).

[theludeone]

http://www.oxfordhoa.com/attachments/Bermuda%20Lawn%20Care%20Instructions.pdf