There’s an ongoing debate raging on concerning the practice of scalping and whether it’s beneficial for your lawn. Many argue you shouldn’t scalp your lawn because you might end up hurting your grass. However, there are certain circumstances where scalping will help your grass grow. For example, if you live in Texas and have either Bermuda or zoysia grass, then scalping after the last frost of the year can promote healthy grass growth during the growing season. This is because you’re exposing your soil to more sunlight by cutting your grass incredibly short. Although, you should be mindful of the grass clippings left behind as you mow. They will block that sunlight you’re trying to get to your soil. If you choose not to scalp your lawn before the growing season, then you can put your lawn’s overall health at risk.


The Benefits of Scalping Your Lawn

Despite some of the discourse surrounding scalping, it's something that's recommended in Texas because it promotes healthy growth during the growing season. You should aim to scalp your lawn every year after the last frost of the year but before your lawn emerges from winter dormancy. By removing all the old, dead grass from your lawn, you’re allowing more sunlight to hit your soil, which will warm it up and result in greener and more vibrant grass.

Scalping your lawn is a great way to get rid of those stubborn late-winter weeds that may have popped up!

Always bag grass clippings after scalping your lawn.

Mower with bag of clippings in Saginaw, TX.

Naturally, when you end up cutting almost all your grass, you end up with a lot of grass clippings littered across your lawn. Normally you’re encouraged to leave these clippings on your lawn to recycle nutrients back into your soil but leaving them on your lawn in this instance is counterproductive. That's because these clippings of dead grass won't have any nutrients in them. You want to make sure you’re removing and bagging the grass clippings once you’re done scalping your lawn. If they're left on your lawn, the remaining clippings will block sunlight from reaching your soil. By removing them, you allow that sunlight to reach your soil and warm it up while also providing your lawn with the opportunity to breathe.


What happens if you don't scalp your lawn?

Drying lawn in Watauga, TX.

Now, what happens if you decide to skip out on scalping your lawn? Well, the result is that it will not be as green as you might want it to be. Scalping removes the discolored, dead grass and you’re allowing your lawn to emerge anew. Additionally, if you continue your routine mowing patterns without first scalping your lawn, then that can lead to thatch buildup, which, unfortunately, can put your grass at risk for fungus. Thatch traps moisture and prevents oxygen from getting to your soil which creates an unhealthy environment for your grass. This is why you should scalp your lawn before the growing season.

Scalping your lawn will allow moisture, sunlight, and oxygen to travel to your soil unimpeded, encouraging healthy grass growth for the growing season.


Give us a call today to sign up for our lawn scalping service.

In Texas, scalping your Bermuda or zoysia grass as it emerges before it emerges from winter dormancy can lead to a much greener and more vibrant lawn. At Buffalo Outdoor, we will scalp your lawn to prepare it for the growing season and continue to regularly mow it throughout the year to ensure it remains well maintained and healthy. We service commercial and residential properties in the Keller, TX area which includes surrounding cities like Aledo and Saginaw. Call us today at (817) 349-0580 to sign up for our lawn scalping service.