Thickening my Bermuda

[jimq1]

I have about a one acre yard that i started from scratch. I used Sahara from Lowes and I hae good coverage but it is not as thick as I would like it. I am thinking of cuuting it to one inch and detaching as I seem to have a half to three quarter layer of thatch from mulching. I am also going to use a slit seeder to overseed Am I on the right track here?

[Florida Gardener]

If using a reel at 1", yes. If not, don't bother. Yes, you need to scalp, verticut, then sand. An acre is going to be a lot of work. You may want to hire a professional.
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[jimq1]

Yes I have access to a large reel mower and my yard has no undulations. Is the excess thatch the biggest growth inhibitor? I have been cutting and bagging at two inches this year and have a 30 day fertilization schedule.

[cgaengineer]

Originally Posted by jimq1

Yes I have access to a large reel mower and my yard has no undulations. Is the excess thatch the biggest growth inhibitor? I have been cutting and bagging at two inches this year and have a 30 day fertilization schedule.

A yard without undulations? That's what you think now and you will soon find out how rough it actually is.

I don't see how you could have a thatch problem on newly seeded lawn. 1/2" thatch is good. And if mulching correctly it will not create thatch.
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[Patriot Services]

Seems like a lot of people are re-embracing Bermuda grasses. This is good. 30 years ago these were the premium southern lawns. They do well with a little attention and are amazing with top notch care.

[cgaengineer]

Originally Posted by Patriot Services

Seems like a lot of people are re-embracing Bermuda grasses. This is good. 30 years ago these were the premium southern lawns. They do well with a little attention and are amazing with top notch care.

People are finally understanding they are not fescue or bluegrass and need to be cut shorter!
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[avguy]

I've renovated almost 2 acres in Sunstar common Bermuda in the last 4 years. You can read about my renovation here: http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.p...ighlight=avguy

I ran a Harley rake and then a rockhound over my property before seeding and it is still rough in spots. I would be shocked if you could run a reel mower over your property without a little prep work first. Also, Bermuda likes to be fed. Up until this year I put down 32-3-8 at 3.1 lbs/k in June, July & August. Because of the drought conditions we have experienced this year I was advised by my local JD/Lesco guy to put down 5-10-31 for my August app. I'm mowing every 3 days @ 2" with a rotary mower.

Have you had a soil test done? That will help you determine more than anything what your lawn needs. My soil was very acidic at 4.9 PH. It took me a couple of years before I got it where it needs to be. Good Luck! Scott

[jimq1]

Sorry forgot to mention my yard and home are now three years old.

[wrager]

You need a soil test or at least find out what the pH is. Fert won't work if the pH is off. Cutting low definitely encourages lateral growth.