How to Care for your Fake Lawn
Posted by Matt Garrabrants on
A fake lawn has earned the title largely because of one main feature. It is the fake grass that has led many to call the entire lawn as fake even though it might have an abundance of natural plants and flowers. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have fallen in love with artificial turf and have installed it in their homes and offices. There are many reasons for the growing popularity of fake turf, the least of which is related to the clean and green looks of the lawn.
Major reason for a shift towards synthetic turf is that it can stay much longer than natural grass. You may need to replace natural grass after every dry season but this is not the case with artificial turf. The same grass can stand its ground for months and years with little maintenance. There is a confusion among some people who think that fake lawn does not need any maintenance. This cannot be further from the truth as you need to care for your artificial lawn. It is just that the maintenance is not as heavy as you do for its natural counterpart.
Hosing Down
You need to hose down your fake lawn at least once a week. You need to water the lawn more if the fake grass installed requires more moisture. It is thus important to read the maintenance manual well in advance before selecting a particular variety of fake turf. Choose a grass that requires little watering especially if you live in an area with water shortages.
You can water the lawn in the same way as you do with natural grass. Use sprinklers or a traditional water pipe for the purpose. Use liberal amounts of water to wet every inch of the grass. This will keep the fake turf soft and stay rooted to its base. You need more watering in summers than in winter.
Drainage
Watering fake lawn will not yield the results if the drainage channels are clogged. A careful installation of artificial grass essentially includes the provision for water channels. These channels are placed at the bottom of the gravel base where they take the water from the top layer and carry it to the drainage network. A poorly installed drainage channel will retain the water that can create visible puddles on the grass and will also create a putrid smell. There are two reasons for such retention. The first is the botched installation and the second is the clogging of the drainage pipes. You can examine the blockage by using a torch and use a drainage opener to clear the impediments.
Vacuum
It is a good idea to vacuum the artificial lawn so as to remove the debris. It will give the fake grass a cleaner look and will accentuate your lawn's landscape. A conventional vacuum cleaner is all you need to do the job. You can install a fake lawn to get rid of the hassle of keeping the natural grass green and healthy. A simple watering and vacuuming regimen will keep fake grass in good shape and your guests and neighbors will envy the lush green landscape.