CONSIDERING ARTIFICIAL GRASS?
IT’S IMPORTANT TO WEIGH THE FACTS AGAINST THE CLAIMS
A RECENTLY random post to my Facebook feed from a company that sells artificial turf, amongst many other products, piqued my interest due to the rather interesting claims made regarding the so called “benefits” of this plastic impostor over “real organic turf ”.
Now let me state from the outset that I’m not totally opposed to fake turf, and there may be situations where a turf-like plastic carpet can be used.
Apart from being ideal for mini-golf fairways, it could be considered an alternative for real turf in the following situations:
1. High wear and tear in establishments such as child care centres dictating a hard-wearing, hoseable surface.
2. Heavily shaded areas in yards where turf simply won’t grow (a garden bed may be better).
3. Small decorative courtyards and balconies in units and high-rises.
4. Small areas adjacent to manicured lawns where vehicular traffic may cause constant soil compaction and turf degradation, such as a narrow kerbside strip.
And...
5. You live in a desert.
From another viewpoint, many gardeners would consider artificial turf a great alternative to a concrete slab or paved area.
It’s worth taking a look at a few of the claims made by some artificial grass suppliers, setting the record straight and supplying alternative solutions when comparing their product with a real lawn.
Firstly, it must be said that all product comparisons are usually always made between artificial turf and a highly manicured, “perfect” lawn.
I would be pretty confident stating that 99% of gardeners never strive for an ideal bowling-green finish on their lawns, settling instead for a healthy, resilient, undemanding expanse of living turf requiring minimal maintenance to keep it looking acceptable.
“No pollen” (referring to the allergenic properties of grass pollens) is the first claim – a no-brainer for artificial turf I suppose.
There are, however, many real turf varieties that are considered low-pollen grasses, such as Santa Ana and Windsor Green couch, and the newer varieties of buffalo such as Sir Walter, Matilda and Palmetto, as these and other newer cultivars are actually bred to have almost no flowers and seed heads.
“No mowing” is the next patently obvious statement – well, you can’t argue with that one.
That doesn’t mean that there’s no maintenance needed for fake grass.
It can become uneven if not laid correctly, requiring underlay sand to be worked into the surface to bring it level.
It can suffer from wear and tear, so sections may need replacing (and if it has faded, you end up with a two-tone lawn!).
Pet urine and faeces require immediate action to prevent unpleasant odours (you may need to spray “odour neutralisers”).
One of the boldest claims made is that artificial turf is environmentally friendly and cost effective, as it does not require watering, fertilising or mowing, and whilst the initial cost is high, it will remain “lush green for years to come” whilst the gardener spends all their money and time on their real turf.
Let’s just look at the initial cost, say, for a 200m2 area.
For real turf, if you take into account a 100mm deep turf starter underlay and the actual turf itself (premium turf @ $9.00 per m2), you may pay around $2800.00, with the preparation and installation labour usually able to be completed by most homeowners.
Artificial turf requires soil to be removed to a depth of around 100mm, usually by a machine such as a bobcat, producing 20m3 of material to be carted away (extra $$).
Then a compacted sub-base, and a top bedding material, are put down.
The artificial turf is then laid like carpet (usually requiring a qualified installer).
All up, material and labour costs could easily be upwards of $20,000 for 200m2 (based on a supplier’s estimate of $35/m2 for turf, and $50/m2 for installation).
A well-maintained natural turf lawn will look acceptable and last indefinitely, whereas one supplier’s artificial lawn guarantee is only seven years (if the supplier is still around then), so you could probably expect fading and wear and tear to become more pronounced from then on.
Spreading their installation cost savings across say, 15 years, the real turf owner will have approximately $1150 a year to spend on fuel, water, fertiliser and other maintenance items if required, which is stacks more than needed to maintain a lawn in an acceptable condition.
Remember too, that artificial turf made from polyethylene uses huge amounts of energy and raw materials to manufacture and transport (sometimes across the globe), releases gases such as methane and ethylene on hot, sunny days, and will not degrade for possibly thousands of years when ripped up and discarded in landfill.
An independent study has found that about 240m2 of real turf, whilst consuming some resources to maintain, actually produces enough oxygen to support a family of 4, and stores more carbon dioxide than the outputs of the petrol-powered equipment used to maintain it.
Natural grass remains cool on a hot day, with some artificial turf products heating up to being too hot to touch.
Natural grass therefore does not contribute to the “urban heat island effect” so often blamed for modifying local weather patterns in and around large cities.
Clever gardeners, utilising smart lawn care methods such as mulch mowing (returning nutrients to the soil and reducing reliance on fertilisers), deep, occasional watering if required (reducing frequent, wasteful water use), and careful selection of variety (choosing low pollen and water-wise cultivars), will enjoy a low maintenance and aesthetically pleasing sward of naturally green, non-fading grass for a lifetime.