What is Synthetic Turf? 

My wife and I just moved to Prescott from Florida where everything is green and lush all year.  We wanted a yard of green grass for personal enjoyment and for our pets to enjoy, however we have discovered that it is hard, rough and tough to grow grass in Prescott.  What are your thoughts on artificial grass? 

What saves water? What reduces contaminants? What reduces pollution? What will give you additional time in your weekend and free you of maintenance so you can relax and enjoy a great looking yard all year? Fake grass. Artificial turf. Synthetic lawns. Make believe grass.

The term artificial grass has come a long way since it was introduced in the 60’s as a smelly neon shocking green hard plastic covering called grass. We talked with Ray Hernandez of Hacienda Del Ray Landscaping, a premier installation expert of “fake grass” and Ray said the artificial grass of today has “a very natural look and feel. In fact, you can get right down and touch it, and you would not know that the lawn is synthetic.” In Yavapai County, real grass is being replaced by synthetic turf for a variety of reasons, with the number one reason because it does not require watering. Roughly 50% of a homes water is used for outside irrigation and landscape purposes so therefore it is a great product for water conservation and of course saving time because there is no weekly maintenance, no mowing, no application of chemicals and fertilizer because real lawns require these items to keep them healthy and green. There is no over-seeding, thatching or aeration. If you reside within the city limits of Prescott, a turf removal credit of $0.25 per square foot with a 100 square foot minimum is being offered to homeowners for removal of real grass and installing synthetic turf. Artificial grass is easy to install, with the initial investment delivering significant savings over the long-term achieving pay-back results in a relatively short period of time.

Synthetic lawns are relatively low-maintenance and are a plus for households with pets. Lawns have insects, bacteria, mold and mud and can create the unavoidable mess with animals. And, no hole digging! These problems are eliminated with synthetic grass. Pet clean-up is easy. Solid pet material should be removed daily to avoid break-down and solids should not be removed or washed away with a hose. Pet liquid soaks through just like rainwater and will absorb into the ground or evaporate and will not leave any yellow patches. Synthetic grass has a porous backing which allows rain water to drain into the ground at the rate of 40 gallons per hour per square foot. Other than the occasional “fluffing” up of the fibers with a rake, there is no maintenance required. With the harsh Arizona sun, the synthetic lawns installed by Hacienda Del Ray Landscaping do not fade and have a UV protective coating and UV stabilizers that prevent fading and ensure a lifespan of over 15 years on the product. Fake grass cannot be installed over concrete and any real grass areas must be removed prior to installation. A layer of crushed decomposed granite is installed and then the synthetic turf is installed over the DG. Reducing allergies can also be accomplished by installing synthetic grass. Although your grass may not be one of the allergens causing you to have itchy eyes and sneezing, lawns could still be causing allergies because of the different weeds, dirt and mud compounds that are a part of grass and no mowing which releases more allergens into the air.

As you can see there are many positives to installing synthetic turf. Imagine your yard that never turns yellow, your pets cannot dig holes, there are no muddy paws, no more mowing, saving of water, no more fertilizing, just a lawn that looks like real grass, feels like real grass and is green all year. Synthetic turf is a good investment for your pocket-book, saves you countless hours of maintenance so you can enjoy your weekend and installing synthetic grass in the City of Prescott can earn you money!

The other important item to consider when installing “make believe grass” is the quality. “Poor quality is usually made from substandard yards and will give the grass a shiny plastic look” mentioned Ray. “When you opt for quality artificial grass it has a lovely matt, natural look and looks very much like real grass. Most people will have a hard time determining if it is artificial or not and a good quality artificial grass will smell great.”

Artificial grass is truly “cropping” up everywhere and if you opt to install artificial grass in your yard you will be pleased and amazed as what your “fake” yard will look like. It is critical to use a reputable company that understands synthetic turf, uses professional and trained installers, knows proper installation techniques and knows the technology and products available to meet your needs.