Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Scalping
Scalping is the process of mowing turf too short. Scalped turf usually
appears brown because healthy leaves have been removed and turf
crowns, dead leaves or even the bare soil have been exposed. Incorrect
mower settings and mowing on uneven surfaces can cause scalping,
especially on hills or where the mower wheels drop into a lower spot
(Fig. 6.4). Scalping should be avoided, but if it occurs, the scalped area
should be kept well-irrigated and protected from any additional stresses
while it recovers.
Scalping is sometimes used deliberately for the purpose of thatch
control, usually on turfs of moderate quality, such as home lawns. Thatch
(which will be discussed in greater detail in Chapter 8, this volume) is
accumulated dead and living plant material (stems, roots and shoots) that
develops between the soil surface and the green portion of leaves. Thatch
becomes undesirable when excessively thick and should be controlled.
Vertical mowers are designed to remove it, but when they are not avail-
able or are too expensive, homeowners sometimes scalp the turf instead.
Scalping is a poor substitute for vertical mowing, but its use may delay
the need for vertical mowing where thatch build-up is modest. Turf-
grasses with rhizomes, like cynodon and zoysia grass, can be scalped
down nearly to the soil surface, but turf-grasses without rhizomes or with
high crowns are sensitive to scalping and may be killed if they are
dethatched in this way.
Fig. 6.4. Scalping often occurs when mower wheels drop into a lower spot.
