Artificial Grass
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Parent Q&A
Archived Q&A and Reviews
- Artificial turf to replace lawn
- Artificial Grass?
- Have you used Eco Lawn?
- Artificial Lawns?
- Anyone used Heavenly Greens (artificial lawns)?
- Waterless Grass
Artificial turf to replace lawn
April 2013
We're considering removing our lawn which has been overgrown with a lot of weeds in our small front yard and replacing it was artificial turf. But I have seen bad turf at a neighbor's house. Does anyone have a recommendations for a brand or have suggestions for any other low-maintenance alternatives? Also the sprinkler system is leaking and needs to be re-done. We do have some nice roses we'd like to keep. We have young children and would like to make it somewhat kid-friendly. Thanks in advance! Alamedan
My wife and I attended the Home & Garden Show last weekend at Concord's Chronicle Pavilion. A vendor from Field of Green showed us samples of DuPont's Forever Lawn which were the most realistic-looking artificial grass we have ever seen. This is a premium product which should look good for many years. We spoke with a very knowledgeable representative, Barry Cameron, whose phone number is (707)328-0002. Their website is www.fieldofgreen.com. They can integrate sprinkler systems with their installations and come to you home to review your project and provide estimates. Other websites to check are www.foreverlawnwestinc.com and www.syntheticgrass.dupont.com. When we redo our landscaping this summer, I think this will probably be the product and vendor that we choose. Good luck! Ben
We replaced a rotting deck in our backyard with artifical turf. It was the best decision ever! We LOVE it. We can go out into the backyard within an hour or so after it rains and play without getting sopping wet or muddy. If we had a real grass lawn, I think it would be muddy most of the day since we don't have a lot of sunlight. My young son loves playing outside! the turf is awesome
Artificial Grass?
Oct 2012
My lawn died this year and all I'm left with is hard dirt. I am considering having fake grass put in. Does anyone have experience with this kind of product? What are the pros and cons? Is it very expensive? If you went for it, can you please recommend installer. Thanks
I know this is not what you were asking about, but have you considered planting a low-maintenance ground cover plant instead? You have to water it more as it gets established, but once it's established, it's very low maintenance. http://smsf- mastergardeners.ucanr.org/Elkus/ground_cover/ Just in idea in case you prefer some living plants in your yard if they were easier to maintain than a lawn. Andi
Have you used Eco Lawn?
Aug 2008
Hi, Has anyone tried a product called Eco Lawn. With the drought conditions we're in, I thought it would be a good alternative to what I currently have. Thanks! dead grass
Hi, Here's an interesting blog commenting on Eco Lawn: http://www.gardenrant.com/my_weblog/2007/09/eco-lawn---the-.html. I haven't used it before so I can't say one way or the other, but I thought you should know that Pacific Sod also carries a ''no mow'' lawn that looks similar and would not require the many hours of weeding a seeded lawn. Not sure how the water requirements compare. Also, even if it takes less water than a conventional lawn, you will still probably want an irrigation system. I recommend you talk to The Urban Farmer Store in Richmond (near Costco) about in-line emitter tubing placed under the lawn for very water efficient irrigation. Good luck! Claudia
I thought you should know that Pacific Sod also carries a ''no mow'' lawn that looks similar and would not require the many hours of weeding a seeded lawn. Not sure how the water requirements compare. Also, even if it takes less water than a conventional lawn, you will still probably want an irrigation system. I recommend you talk to The Urban Farmer Store in Richmond (near Costco) about in-line emitter tubing placed under the lawn for very water efficient irrigation.
I must disagree. ''No Mow'' is a sod blend of hard, creeping red and fine fescues. It's very shade tolerant (for turfgrass). It's also supposed to be fairly low water use/drought tolerant (again, this is lawn...it does need quite a bit more water than coyote brush, for example).
No mow is a misnomer. You will have to mow it, but probably less often than ''regular'' turf. You will get weeds....yes, we are in the west, the weed seedbanks are everywhere!! You will want an irrigation system. The underground emitter turf irrigation systems pretty much require you to remove your soil and replace it with 6-10 inches of sand. This is not a trivial exercise. If you have clay soil, such a system will not work without replacing the soil.
No Mow looks a heck of a lot better than plastic grass though. Ray
Artificial Lawns?
June 2008
We are thinking about putting in an artificial lawn in our 560 sq. ft. backyard to save water and to minimize maintenance. We've read that the new materials they use now are very life- like, good for kids to play on and pets to do their business around, and basically maintenance-free after installation. Does anyone have any experience with choosing, ordering, installing and (hopefully) enjoying their artificial lawn? Pros and Cons? Recommended companies? Does the product actually live up to the promises?
Looking for Lawn in All the Wrong Places
Park Day School in Oakland has a playground with artificial turf and would be a good example for you to see. I think it's been there over 5 years and still looks great. I'm a landscape designer and as a naturalist I never thought I'd like this stuff, but it does look and feel amazingly real and fits some real challenges. I recommend the brand called 'SynLawn' (http://www.synlawn.com) because it does not have the little rubber balls that eventually wash away like the other brands. I prefer their 'SynBlue' as it looks the most natural. Artificial turf has been great for wear and tear of kids and dogs (it does not burn skin or yellow from dog pee) and areas where grass is tough to grow under shade or areas that you just don't want to water but you want visual satisfaction. You can install it yourself or I'd be happy to recommend a contractor who could. That said, the down side is disposal and environmental impact. It's plastic. And though it saves water for the environment, the planet has already taken its toll from petrol-chemicals. Leigh
Hi, We had a big patch of concrete that we covered with artificial lawn and we are very happy with it- it is soft and has different hues of green. It looks like real grass. We bought it from synlawn.com and it was well worth its price. JZ
Anyone used Heavenly Greens (artificial lawns)?
May 2007
Just saw this company advertised in a local mailing, they are called Heavenly Greens and install an artificial turf/lawn called ''FieldTurf''. Can anyone offer any positive or negative comments about the company or product? It is appealing to us to have a spot of grass for the kids that requires no watering or mowing! Does it look like astroturf?! Thanks anon
I do not own a synthetic lawn, but I've done some research for a school project. FieldTurf, the artificial turf that Heavenly Greens sells, has some good points; primarily that it uses zero water and does not require pesticides or fertilizers. And of course, you don't have to mow it, which means no noxious emissions from a lawn mower. However, it heats up way more than natural grass or even concrete--not the safest play surface in the summertime. Also, although the company emphasizes that FieldTurf's cushioning uses recycled Nike sneaker soles, most of the crumb rubber is from recycled tires, which contain lead, arsenic, cadmium, copper, oil, carbon, and benzene. The tiny pellets tend to work their way to the surface of the grass, so you probably wouldn't want FieldTurf for a yard if you've got small kids or babies, who may eat it. (The pellets also get tracked indoors.) You should also ask the company how it suggests keeping the FieldTurf clean. They may suggest regular disinfectant applications, which you may not be wild about. Good luck on your decision. --Oakland mom
Waterless Grass
March 2007
I'm working on redoing my backyard and I like the idea of installing Waterless Grass (http://www.waterlessgrass.com/index.cfm). You don't have to mow, you don't have to water, it never dies and always looks great. My husband thinks it's a terrible idea, that it will lower the resale value of our home because nobody wants to have a yard with ''lame fake grass.'' What do all of you think? Jill
I'm sorry to tell you that your husband is pretty much right. My cousin had it installed in her yard. The stuff does look great - from a few feet away you can't tell the difference. If you get upclose you can see that its synthetic but thats not a huge deal. The problem is the wear. A neighbor's dog peed on the ''lawn'' and the whole thing smelled NASTY. And on a hot day, forget it. You wouldnt even want to have the window open. Don't believe the whole thing about urine running through it like rainwater. Not true.
I would have to agree with your husband.
Although there is more at stake than just your property value. Astro Turf was bad eonough, but realistic looking synthetic grass???? I checked out the ''Waterless Grass'' website. Some of their selling points are: ''No wasting water. No more polluting lawn mowers. No chemical fertilizers or pesticides.''
My response to those selling points are: There are many other ways to beautify your back yard and not have to use a ton of water, it's called ''drought tolerant'' plants. The amount of pollution and waste that goes into making synthetic grass must be enormous! And it's plastic! Plastics come from petroleum! It's all chemicals. Plastics can off-gas, meaning it gives off gas and fumes. What happens when it sits in the hot hot sun? What kind of chemicals are you breathing? There is a 5 year warranty on this ''Waterless Grass'' as long as you do the yearly application of UV protection. Sounds like more chemicals to me.
Here is a commentary from a blogger who just happens to have a neighboor who installed ''Waterless Grass''. It doesn't sound like a good idea:
http://blogging.la/archives/2005/09/the_stepford_la.phtml
If we all want to combat pollution and greenhouse gases that cause global warming, than we need to be ''greening'' the planet, not stripping away the greenery and replacing it with petrolium products. Real trees and plants help to absorb carbon dioxide. They make our planet beautiful. They are healthy for the environment, people and animals.
Research: drought tolerant gardening; California native plants; low maintenance easy care plants; alternative ground covers instead of traditional lawns.
That's what I think. Laurey
Instead of grass or fake grass, how about putting in a low maintenance ground cover that requires little to no water and no mowing? Maria
I was NOT a fan of artificial turf, but my husband was emphatic that live lawns were high maintenance and antiquated. So about 6 years ago I relented and we put in artificial turf in part of the backyard (maybe 15 x 35 ft). I am now a believer. It's been amazing for the kids, pets, and us--no maintenance involved. It looks great. Apparently the industry has come a long way as have aethetics--there are many, many types and you can pick the composite that you like visually best. Doesn't get muddy. Occasional weed that I pull out easily. We have the turf surrounded by a border of plantings and nearby hardscape and it looks fantastic. --Turf Convert
I've had good luck with my California Bentgrass lawn! It's requires a lot of watering at first but once established is incredibly drought tolerant.
We had the same requirements and ended up with a 90/10 tall fescue (link here: https://eastbaynursery.com/sod-ordering/p/9010-fescue-blue)
It has not been very good... SUPER patchy, now we probably only have 1/3 coverage and the rest is just dirt. I regret installing it but don't have any alternatives to suggest, unfortunately since I did a lot of research and this is where I ended up!
I added “fake grass” to my backyard, it’s in a curvy shape with bedding plants around it. I needed to be convinced but now I love it. The artificial turf industry has come a long way since the shocking green plastic ASTRO TURF of the 60’s. Mine is made with recycled materials and has a range of colors including including yellow to give a more natural and soothing vibe. It lasts 10 years and you don’t ever have to mow or water. By the third year a few weeds started busting through so I pull them out manually. My dog enjoys it for sunbathing and also crazy puppy moves - the traction is excellent. It’s important to level the area and put a weed barrier and some kind of base. Otherwise it gets lumpy or worse, wrinkled. There is a yard in my neighborhood that has that problem. My landscaper did a great job. In seven years I bet that I’ll replace it with the same.
I recommend this for high-use areas. You can hose it off, too. I don’t think my dog pees on it but if it ever smelled I would spray it with odor remover and hose it off more.
Your solution should depend upon why the lawn died. Too much shade will lead you in a different direction than too little water.
Before making a decision please do a little online research about the negatives to artificial turf. For instance, take a look at the Wirecutter article https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-artificial-grass/. It is sometimes a practical alternative but it's not healthy - either for humans or the earth. It will also heat up your yard more than any type of plant.
For living durability not much is better than some type of grass -
https://www.deltabluegrass.com/sod-products/residential-commercial-sod/ Delta Blue Grass develops a lot of the sod products that are sold by local nurseries and landscapers, including instance the bentgrass sod that one post recommends. The Mow Free Fescue or Native No-Mow are good alternatives - different than playing on a flat lawn, but equally fun.
https://www.ebmud.com/water/conservation-and-rebates/rebates/lawn-conversion-rebate In some places you can get a rebate to help you replace your lawn with something else. I think you need to actually have the lawn to replace to prove you deserve the rebate, if you are going to go this route don't dig up your lawn just yet.
Good luck.