How do I stop lawn scalping after mowing?
Raise your mower deck, sharpen blades, and mow regularly so you don’t cut too much at once.
Lawn Care & Garden Maintenance
- By Admin
- 22 August, 2025
- 7 min Read
Lawn Scalping in Mickleham: Causes, Damage & How to Avoid It
A well-kept lawn is one of the biggest features of any home in Mickleham. But one mistake many homeowners or inexperienced mowing services make is scalping – cutting the grass too short, exposing bare soil, and leaving the lawn weak and patchy. While some warm-season grasses can occasionally benefit from a seasonal scalping, in most cases it causes more harm than good.
In this blog, we’ll cover why scalping happens, the damage it causes, how to avoid it when choosing a mowing service, and what to do if it happens.
1. The Benefits of Pool Decking
Lawn scalping happens when grass is cut too short – often below the recommended mowing height – exposing the crown of the grass or even the soil underneath. Instead of a neat, green lawn, you’re left with brown patches, uneven growth, and increased weed invasion.
In Mickleham’s climate, with hot summers and cool winters, scalping can set your lawn back for weeks, leaving it vulnerable at the time it needs strength the most.
Why and How Scalping Happens
Scalping can occur for several reasons, most of which are preventable:
- Mower set too low – Cutting below the recommended grass height is the most common cause.
- Uneven lawns – Bumpy or sloped ground in areas around Mickleham can cause mower blades to dip too low.
- Dull mower blades – Instead of slicing cleanly, they tear the grass, stressing the lawn further.
- Cutting too much at once – Removing more than one-third of the grass blade in a single mow.
- Seasonal timing – Mowing stressed lawns during drought or heat waves amplifies scalping damage.
The Damage Scalping Causes
A scalped lawn doesn’t just look bad – it can cause lasting damage:
- Exposes bare soil → inviting weeds and pests.
- Weakens root systems → reducing the lawn’s ability to absorb nutrients and water.
- Soil erosion → common in open areas and larger blocks around Mickleham.
- Increases stress → leaving grass more vulnerable to heat, drought, and disease.
Once the crown (the growth point of the grass) is damaged, the lawn often takes weeks to recover, sometimes requiring overseeding or professional repair.
How to Avoid Scalping (When Hiring a Mowing Service)
If you’re choosing a lawn mowing service in Mickleham, here’s what to look for to avoid scalping:
- Ask about mowing height – Professionals should never cut more than one-third of the grass height in one mow. Skynature’s lawn mowing service follows this golden rule.
- Check their equipment – A good service uses sharp blades and adjusts height for different lawns.
- Look for local experience – Mickleham has a mix of residential blocks and acreage properties, so a team experienced in ride-on mowing for large areas is essential.
- Consistency over shortcuts – Regular mowing keeps lawns healthy without the need for aggressive cuts.
Best Practices After Mowing
After each mow, a little care goes a long way in keeping your lawn resilient:
- Light watering to reduce stress.
- Remove heavy clippings if the grass was long, but mulch mowing is ideal for nutrient recycling.
- Check for uneven or patchy spots early, so they can be corrected before damage spreads.
What to Do If Scalping Happens
If your lawn has been scalped, here’s how to help it recover:
- Water deeply to reduce stress.
- Fertilise lightly (avoid heavy feeding immediately).
- Overseed or top-dress bare patches.
- Aerate compacted soil to improve root recovery.
- Be patient – recovery can take weeks depending on the season and severity.
For larger lawns or repeated scalping damage, professional recovery services may be needed.
Scalping vs. Dethatching
It’s important not to confuse scalping with dethatching:
- Scalping = cutting grass too short, damaging it.
- Dethatching = removing the thick layer of dead grass and debris that builds up on the soil surface. This process is beneficial when done at the right time, but it’s very different from scalping.
FAQs About Lawn Scalping
What should I do after scalping a lawn?
Water, lightly fertilise, and overseed bare patches. Avoid mowing again until regrowth is visible.
Does scalping a lawn kill weeds?
It may reduce some weeds temporarily, but bare soil often allows more weeds to invade.
Scalped lawn recovery time?
Anywhere from 2–6 weeks depending on season, grass type, and severity.
Is scalping the same as dethatching?
No. Dethatching removes debris; scalping cuts the grass too short.
