Artificial Turf – It’s OK to Fake It
We can thank sports fields and the 70s for the bad rap that artificial turf gets when it comes to using it on our own properties. But in the decades since AstroTurf first became a household name, the technology and process for manufacturing artificial turf has improved dramatically. In fact, these days there are many products on the market that are almost indistinguishable from real grass. So why to homeowners still hesitate to embrace artificial turf in their lawn? Here are some common beliefs, and a reasoning for why we might want to change our thinking:
Belief: It’s not good for the environment.
Truth: Neither is live grass! With the amount of mowing, watering, weed control, and fertilizing that real lawns require, there is actually a noticeable advantage to using artificial turf. And, it’s an open-weave material over porous layers of aggregate that let water pass through, thus less runoff from your property. This is actually a great solution for stormwater management.
Belief: It looks and feels faux.
Truth: You need to shop around to find the look of grass that is right for your house, your landscape style, and your region. We’ve covered this already, but artificial turf has come a long way in looking and feeling more real. And it never gets browning, bare spots, or weeds. The only thing to consider is if it will look too perfect.
Belief: Infill is messy and potentially harmful.
Truth: As artificial turf evolves to be more acceptable, so too do the technologies and materials that once gave it a bad name. Infill, the little rubber crumbs that kick up when kids (or football players) run across the turf was once a big deterrent for its tendency to give off fumes in hot weather and its possible carcinogenic properties.
LANDSCAPE DESIGN – SANTA BARBARA
When it comes to creating a landscape, homeowners generally fall into two categories: those who itch to start putting plants into the ground themselves and those who recognize a need to hire out the work. Just as it wouldn’t be wise to …
Now, most manufacturers use a sand material that is not only safer for our health, but does a great job at staying put, weighing down the turf to keep it in place, and making it feel as soft to walk on as grass.
Belief: It’s hard to install.
Truth: That may be correct, but a landscape professional who specializes in artificial turf knows how to stage, roll out, seam together, and tie it down to make it a showpiece within the rest of your landscape design.
Belief: It’s expensive.
Truth: It’s more of an initial investment. How much do you spend now to have a lawn service treat and mow your lawn on the regular? Or if you don’t hire that out, how much is your own time worth to carry out those chores?
Artificial turf might not be for everyone, but it’s quite possibly suitable for more landscapes than we once thought. Contact your local landscape professional to see if it’s something that’s worth exploring for your yard when you are ready to give up maintaining your real lawn season after season.
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