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Problems Using Artificial Grass

Problems Using Artificial Grass

At first glance, turf installation can seem a daunting task. Whether you choose to DIY or hire a professional turf installer, there are some aspects you need to consider before deciding to install artificial grass in your backyard or lawn. However, expert landscapers, such as Eden advise against installing turf grass. Here are the top problems in using artificial grass:

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1. Artificial grass has high volumes of plastic

There’s nothing else in your garden or home that has as much plastic as artificial grass. Single use plastic straws are banned due to their adverse effects on the environment. This should also apply to artificial grass as it is made completely out of a similar plastic. Besides this, there are several unexpected aspects of installing artificial turf in your lawn or backyard. 

According to our calculations, if you use a single disposable plastic straw every day for 15 years, you will eventually use around 21,900 straws, which comes to an astonishing 26.5 lbs. of plastic. 

In the same manner, artificial grass weighs around 3.1 lbs. per meter. If we assume your garden to be just 35 sq. meter and you were to cover half of it with artificial grass, then you will end up using 55 lbs. of plastic. This is double the volume of plastic you will use with disposable plastic straws. 

2. Artificial grass cannot be recycled

Artificial (Astro) turf is made using different artificial materials, including polyethylene, nylon and polypropylene. These are durable materials and can potentially last for centuries. It is also not possible to recycle artificial grass turf after use as these are bonded together tightly and extremely difficult to separate for recycling. Apart from this, it is not possible to recycle artificial grass as recycling can only be done for clean materials. With 10 to 15 years of use, the hard-packed dust and dirt make it almost impossible to clean. 

3. Artificial grass can pollute soils indefinitely 

Plastic does not deteriorate fast but it inevitably breaks down into smaller tiny pieces. These pieces can contaminate your garden or lawn soil and damage the soil quality. These blades of artificial glass can also affect the microorganisms in soil. 

4. Artificial grass leaves a significant carbon footprint

The amount of carbon released while mixing, coloring and molding plastics is enormous. Apart from this, more carbon is released while transporting the heavy artificial grass turf rolls from the factory to the store and on to the buyer. Soil stores carbon naturally, especially if there are plants growing in it. To install artificial grass, you need to uproot the natural grass turf which already has significant amount of carbon stored within it. This also prompts the carbon to be released into the atmosphere. The base for artificial grass consists of sand which needs to be transported, again adding to the overall carbon footprint of the product. 

5. Artificial grass turns unsightly in a short time

Artificial grass has significantly shorter shelf life as compared to hard landscaping products. Although manufacturers claim that artificial grass lasts for 10 to 15 years, the product actually breaks down and gets squashed into a carpet within a few months. 

6. Artificial grass damages natural nutrient-rich soil

When you install artificial grass in your backyard or lawn, it ends up creating a plastic barrier atop the compacted mix of soil and sand. This prevents any garden material to reach to the soil. Stuff like grass clippings and leaf litter are essential for soil nutrition. However, it is more sensible to create a natural grass lawn as real grass grows, dies and then re-grows every year. Soil is one of the basic building blocks for the natural life that inhabit your garden. Hence, it is advisable to avoid installing artificial grass if you have plans to seed a new natural lawn. 

7. Artificial grass does not benefit the wildlife in your lawn or backyard

A perfectly kept lawn with no weeds is a basic foundation for numerous critters and plants in your garden or backyard. Millions of essential microscopic organisms thrive in natural soil. These are extremely essential to ensure soil health. The natural-growing plants and some insects in the garden are extremely vital to complete the natural cycle in a region. 

8. Artificial grass looks artificial

Some might argue that this point is subjective and most people even think that artificial grass looks neat. We agree that artificial grass is best-suited for places where you can’t grow grass naturally, such as in completely shaded areas. An astro turf can definitely improve the appeal for such spots in your garden or backyard, but it is not advisable for use where natural grass can grow efficiently. However, despite artificial grasses getting more natural-looking, they lack the imperceptible things, like blowing in the wind, getting wet in the rain or the small patches of imperfect grass where you can see the bugs and critters crawling in the soil. These little things eventually make you realize that artificial grass ends up looking artificial, regardless of how much manufacturers want to make it resemble natural grass.

9. Artificial grass overheats your garden during summer

Plastic retain heat. Artificial grass will also store the heat from the sun all day long, much more than a natural lawn. In some situations, the artificial grass can become so hot that it becomes impossible to walk on it during the day. 

10. Artificial grass need frequent maintenance

Artificial grass surface cannot recycle dirt, debris and germs like natural grass does. So, you will need to clean the astro turf inlaid lawn much more frequently than you would need to maintain a natural grass lawn. Artificial grass lawn maintenance usually involve brushing, washing and even vacuuming every once in a while. 

Conclusion

Artificial grass is not recommended for use where natural grass can grow. Laying an astro turf in your garden or backyard will not only reduce its soil quality but also incur higher maintenance costs, in comparison. Hence, landscaping experts, such as Eden highly recommend using natural grass to enjoy your free time and to increase your home’s curb appeal. 

From selecting the right seasonal plants to installing an outdoor kitchen, our landscaping services can do it all for you. Contact us today for a stunning landscape!