Centipede mow height

This Allyn Hane guy is 100% correct. Probably a researcher. If you ever have a chance to see research plots of centipede cut at different heights, you’d agree the 2-1/2 to 3 inch cut is the best.

Cutting centipede at a higher mow height promotes a thatch layer.

You’ll also cut the steMs off as the grass blade pushes higher.

What's everyone's opinion on Bermuda height.

He worked for TruGreen in sales.

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Why is this? What if you bag occasionally?

It’s always been my opinion higher is better as long as you don’t cut too much off at a time.

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Thelawnforum.com has a lot of great discussions on the pros and cons of mowing heights.

Bagging does help reduce thatch buildup as far as I know. I think mowing higher could lead to more thatch build up because the clippings are larger and more are dropped at a time. This is why for turf grasses it is critical to not only have a healthy soil with tons of microbial activity but also do not fertilize the grass to push artificial growth.

Microbial activity breaks down grass clipping and dead grass parts in general. If there isn't microbial activity to keep up with the dead debris production, you get thatch. If you do have healthy microbial levels but your grass growth is pushed artificially, there is too much debris for the microbials to breakdown in a timeline fashion and you get thatch build up.

Another issue with taller mowing heights is that it will hold more moisture down near the soil level and provide more darkness/shade which will promote fungal activity and growth.

Everything is a compromise. Low heights have drawbacks too because they dryout faster and you probably need to mow a bit more often.

Last year I mowed mine at 2.50 inches or so but ended up with thatch. This year I'm trying to stay below 2 inches and see how it does.

I do 2” I’ve done 1.5” and 2.5”. For me, I’m gonna stay at 2”

They recommend lower to prevent building up a thatch layer and having fungus and moisture issues. If you research “centipede decline” you’ll get the gist of it.

I think people make a couple mistakes with centipede that doom them from the getgo. They treat it like st Augustine by mowing it too high and fertilizing it too much. By doing so it probably looks awesome for a year or maybe two. But shortly thereafter they develop massive amounts of thatch buildup from the artificial growth and higher cut.

I’ve learned the hard way in a few spots. I used to cut it high and put down lawn food because I didn’t know any better. Now I’m using minimal fertilizer and mowing around 2.5 inches. I’m gonna try to get it down to about 2 inches but I’ve got a few high spots that will scalp so I need to work on those.

If we could get some rain my yard would look amazing.