should I scalp?

rgr51 – posted 01 January 2013 09:47

I have 2 yr old Zeon zoysia lawn with mowing height around 2 1/2″. should I scalp on first cut in spring?

gvs505 – posted 01 January 2013 20:53

I have Zeon as well (South Carolina) and I mow mine much lower than you (around 1/2″). I normally let it grow up a little higher before the first frost in the fall (maybe up to 3/4 – 1″), and then just mow it at my normal height for the first spring mowing. “Scalping” is OK if you are just cutting away the “dead” tops, but I don’t recommend it otherwise.

therock050383 – posted 07 January 2013 21:50

There really isnt a good reason to scalp the first mowing. I know you get that “itch” to mow it earlier than you have too as well. But its best to wait til its at least 80 percent green before you mess with it, and just shave it like you usually do…..unless you really just want a bunch of dead grass to mess with. Thatch will hurt your zeon more than anything.

mrmumbels – posted 08 January 2013 21:55

Where do you live? I’m just north of Tampa and scalped mine the first year and it really messed it up. Zoysia doesn’t go totally dormant down here so it actually just killed it off.

It has to be totally dormant to scalp.

hodad – posted 17 January 2013 13:29

I was wondering the same thing about “scalping” and the initial mowing height for the first cut in the spring.

I have my mower set at 3.5 inches. but I was thinking of going to 3 inches this year.

I have the Jamur version and live in the north metro area of Atlanta.

This will be the third growing season for my lawn and it has done exteremely well

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Houndawg – posted 17 January 2013 21:37

Mine is about two inches deep. I can still see some green in it in places. Where it’s covered and thick ( in most of it ) there’s zero winter weeds. I’d rather look at the brown grass than those weeds anyday. I like this better than last winter..

Houndawg – posted 17 January 2013 21:43

My brown grass greened up pretty fast last spring. So fast I really didn’t notice it or care last year.