Why Fake Grass is Gaining Popularity

Maintaining a natural lawn can be challenging for some people due to cutting and trimming, weeding, soil testing, and watering. Keeping a lawn in good shape requires time, consistency, and dedication. If you can’t maintain natural grass, what alternative do you have? The best you can do is to go for artificial or synthetic grasses. 

For those living in a low-water area, watering your grasses consistently can be a bit challenging. If you have been looking for an alternative to natural grasses and you’ve been thinking about getting artificial grasses, then this article is basically for you.  

Statistically, synthetic and artificial grass for landscaping and recreation is growing at 10% to 15% yearly in the United States. The implication of this is that many homeowners are now adopting synthetic grass for their lawns, rooftops, dug runs, and pool surroundings.

What is artificial grass?

Synthetic grasses usually have filaments threaded into a backing that enables water to flow through.  The grass is generally laid on a drainage-enabled layer with compacted gravel that is fastened along the perimeter. Then it’s filled with recycled crumb rubber that shields it from blowing away by the breeze.

Who needs fake grass?

• Water bill increment during the summer period 

• You are tired of consistently watering your grasses, fertilizing, and cutting your natural grass.

• You don’t want to continue the usage of herbicides and fertilizers.

• Preference. You naturally prefer artificial grass to natural grasses.

Pros of fake Grass?

• It saves water

When you have artificial grasses on your lawn, you need to make provisions for adequate water management. But you don’t have to bother about water usage bills for lawn maintenance when it comes to fake grasses. In some southern states in the U.S like Nevada, the Water Authority rewards homeowners who save at least 55 gallons of water per year for every square foot of natural grass replaced with synthetic. Also, some water companies operating in areas with high drought rates usually offer a cash rebate for artificial grasses to the tune of $1 per square foot.

• Easy to maintain

If the grass on your lawn is natural, you will have to dedicate extra hours for maintenance. Natural grass maintenance varies depending on the weather. The author of “Green American,” Ted Steinberg, stated that it takes an average homeowner a minimum of 150 hours to maintain a lawn yearly. Changing your lawn from natural to fake grass will save you a lot of stress and resources.

• Fake grasses are more environmentally friendly

Data from the syntactic turf council indicates that synthetic recycled crumb rubber infill reduces the rate of rubber tires out of landfills annually.  

Cons of fake Grass?

• Synthetic grasses heat up quickly under extreme weather.

• It can’t be recycled for other usages.

•  It can either break down or absorb pet urine.

• It is not 100% maintenance-free. 

Conclusion 

Having a natural lawn within your premises isn’t a bad idea, but the major challenge is maintaining the grasses in good shape. If you don’t have the money to keep natural grass for your lawn, swapping for artificial grass will be a perfect idea. 

Having fake grass will reduce your water bill expenses and other expenses related to natural grass maintenance like fertilizer, soil testing, and insecticides. Also, if you can’t keep up with cutting and trimming lawn grass, then it is the perfect time to switch your yard to fake grass.