Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the cool breeze on my face and the morning dew on the grass in my front yard. You know what I really don’t like about that time of year, though (and this extends into winter, too)? The fact that eventually, my grass will die, and I’ll be left with a huge muddy mess to trudge through.
When it mixes with the snow…well, that’s the worst. Of course, this isn’t really a problem in most of sunny California, but I’m sure the northern part of the state can empathize at least to some extent. Either way, though, it’s hard to deny that caring for lawns can be a real pain.
The funny thing is that even though it’s not a very fun activity (and can even get quite expensive), we all still seem to do it. This newspaper article discusses it, https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB111516450144323944, though I have to wonder why even beyond that. Maybe we can blame it on HOA standards, or just habit?
Whatever the reason, I say it’s time that we stop breaking our backs over some grass. That’s not to imply that we should just, you know, be okay with a huge mess in our yards. Instead, why don’t we just look for some other ways of maintaining the aesthetic we want without all that unnecessary work?
Enter: Artificial Grass, A.K.A. Turf
I’m sure you’ve heard of the stuff, and probably even seen it before. If you played a sport back in high school or college, chances are the field was made with turf. You’re probably thinking to yourself, “why on earth would I want that in my yard?” Honestly, that was my first instinct too.
My most vivid memories of walking on turf were in marching band back in school, and wow, I got really tired of the little pebbles that would stick to my shoes, my pants, and everything that I touched. Thankfully, that’s not the stuff that they use for personal homes.
Why do they even use it for the sports fields, though? I promise, this is relevant to why we should start considering it for at home, so hear me out. The main reason is to prevent wear and tear on the ground as well as to keep the players safer. With less mud and wet grass to slip on, they are a lot less likely to get seriously injured while playing.
Interestingly enough, turf can end up serving a similar purpose back at home as well! There are some differences though, like how with artificial grass in Sacramento, CA, you won’t have to worry about those annoying “pebbles” that I mentioned earlier. Turns out, they’re just one of the many layers that make up a stretch of turf grass.
However, when you get it installed in your yard, you won’t have to deal with that mess. Since it’ll all be in the substrate, all you’ll be seeing is the blades of artificial grass without the aggregate getting through. Since that was one of my main doubts, I was relieved to hear the news.
What does it bring to the table?
When I was considering getting turf, I wanted to know everything that I could about the costs versus the benefits of having it installed at home. It’s a bit of an investment, after all, and I’m sure that most of us want to know what we’re getting into before we make such a big purchase. What are some of the reasons to get artificial grass?
I think the fact that it doesn’t require a ton of maintenance is a huge point in its favor. Of course, I’m one of those people who really hate doing yard work, so that’s a part of it for me. Even if you enjoy taking care of your lawn, you’ll still have an opportunity to. It just won’t be nearly as difficult anymore, as you can read about on this page.
Is there anything else that’s notable, then? Well, when you have a turf yard instead of a natural one, you don’t really have to do much watering. The only thing you’d have to worry about there is if you garden or have flowers to ornament your landscaping. Otherwise, you’ll be using a ton less water, reducing both your impact on the environment and your water bill. Talk about a win-win, right?
Artificial turf may not have even been something you considered before today, at least in a serious manner. However, I’ve done my best to offer a complete perspective on it. It is something that is a bit expensive, to the point where I’d call it an investment over anything else. Because it lasts for years, though, most folks who do bite the bullet consider it to be quite worth their money.
