My problem is three fold. First my yard is not greening up like it normally does. Secondly it seems fairly thin, probably because it is builder grade Bermuda. Lastly after I cut I see "White" hairs standing up all over the yard.

Note that I am not waiting for the grass to grow long before I cut. I have the mower set on level 6. It is also worth mentioning that the lawn was fertilized in mid may.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The pictures aren't really showing your problem, but I think I know what you are talking about in regards to the white hairs.

The gap between the reel and bedknife has become too large, and is not cutting the grass clean anymore. It needs sharpening and adjustment. Call around to some golf courses or ball fields in your area that maintain their own reel mowers. They should be of some assistance.

So how does "setting 6" translate into height of cut?

I have to say, by the pictures, it looks really nice. Maybe a little light on color, but nothing drastic. Especially if you are cutting short.

Had you fertilized before mid May? What did you fertilize with? Slow release fert? Fast release fert? Bermuda needs 1 lb. per 1000 square foot nitrogen a month when it is growing.

I used Scotts fert, I think it was 28-10-5 or something close. Then my chemical service hit it again, I water fairly heaven to soak it in.

The problem is your reel mower needs aligned and sharpened. Instead of a nice clean sheer, you are getting crushed tearing and shredding of the grass blades. So when it heals the next day what you see is the light brown shredded, crushed, and torn ends of the grass blades.

Get down on your hands and knees to get a close look. I bet what you call white hairs are shredded grass blades that died and turned tan to straw colored.

A lawn mowed by a well-maintained reel mower has always been a special sight. As a kid I used my grandfather's reel so much that we needed to replace the tires. Throughout my career, physical plants that included multiple acres of grass and landscape always impressed.

With my "new" lawn and a desire to keep it new looking, I know that I'll need to use something other than my self-propelled rotary (it will still get a workout on the "creeping Charlie" red fescue in the shady back yard).

Your thoughts on the comparable features of 20" professional model reel mowers, regardless of brand (including comments on more/less reel blades) are welcomed. I'd sincerely appreciate it if comments went beyond just "I like Brand X...". I'm aware that they each have good features, little quirks and special care needs. I'm more interested in elements that reflect quality or lack thereof, of features that make use easy (or easier), etc. I'm near enough a reputable dealer (Peachtree Mowers) that handles the major brands to actually try out various makes. What I need is info on telling inportant differences among the makes.

There are other manufactures that make reel mowers but they are commercial/professional grade units. McLane and Tru-Cut also make commercial quality units. But to get Professional grade you are looking at a starting point of $3000 up to $15,000.

For Zoysia lawn in a residential setting is not very demanding as Zoysia grows really slow so you are looking at mowing every 7 to 10 days verse say 3 to 5 times a week for Bermuda. Poin tI am making is a standard Tru-Cut or McLane will meet your requirements and give you many years of service with proper care.

But seriously, I agree with the lawn mower being the culprit.