These days, artificial grass is no longer the up-and-coming player, but now a real challenger to sod in the landscaping industry. While initial costs of installation appear to be in sod’s favor, the long-term challenges and expenditures of maintaining an organic lawn add to the bill year after year. Turf, on the other hand, can often have a greater initial investment, but that investment pays for itself within the first 3-7 years on average.
“Turf brings a stress-free landscape. You’re able to save time and money between repairs, maintenance, watering, fertilizing, etc. So, in essence, artificial grass gives consumers a stress-free lifestyle,” explains Veer Singh, founder of Steve’s Landscaping. “Natural grass needs the correct amount of water – not too much and not too little, as well as weed prevention, the correct amount of nitrogen for the climate, fertilizer, and mow height. Even a gardener is often unable to constantly keep the optimal beauty of a natural lawn.”
When questioned about the potential limitations of turf in garden landscape designs, Veer responded, “I don’t see any limitations with artificial grass pertaining to landscape design. If anything, it opens up more options. For example, a common issue with landscape is drainage. By incorporating artificial grass into the design, we basically create a giant drywell underneath the turf. Water finds the path of least resistance, and once the water penetrates the grass, it travels through the base hitting the dry dirt below the base level. By adding artificial grass, we’re able to achieve a faster drain rate in our landscapes.”
