That green landscape you desire for your home is possible, and sometimes the limitations you are considering might all just be excuses. Of course, the development of advanced techniques and technology today has made getting that green, lush, and valuable landscape easy. Plus, there are primarily two options that can provide a green landscape in your home: including natural grass and artificial grass.
Natural grass is installed by growing them in the space where a green landscape is desired. In contrast, artificial grass is manufactured using various materials and functions similar to a rug rolling onto the space where a green landscape is desired. These green landscapes each have merits and demerits that further distinguish them from each other because natural grasses are grown, and artificial grasses are manufactured.
Most homeowners looking to own a green landscape do not know which type of landscape to install in their homes. Also, it is essential to mention that a green landscape offers many benefits to the home besides the green and natural appeal it brings. Some of its benefits include increasing the home’s value, as a well-maintained lawn is sure to keep your home looking and valuable. A green landscape also offers a flexible space for various activities ranging from relaxation to recreational space, an eventful space, and more.
Choosing the Right Landscape for Your Home
Many homeowners struggle to decide on the type of green landscape to install in their homes because they don’t consider the various factors that may affect the space appeal. For artificial or natural grass, a factor often considered is how they hold up in the rainy season. Indeed, rain is a blessing and a curse for a green landscape made from natural grass; for premium artificial grass, it can be a curse, but it is a blessing too. So, “can it be a curse too?” Well, yes, and it all storms down to the foundation on which the artificial grass is installed. This article will cover this information in detail, highlighting how to keep a green landscape made from artificial grass looking great in the rainy season.
Before outlining how to keep your artificial grass looking great in the rainy season, we examine how the rainy season can be a curse and a blessing to a green landscape. A green landscape with natural grass will be the perfect case study.
Rain is a blessing to a green landscape made from natural grass because there is a consistent supply of water to keep the grass looking healthy. Natural grass consistently demands water, and there is no water shortage during the rainy season. There are various ways the rainy season can be a curse to a green landscape made from natural grass. One way is the increased maintenance requirements.
Water availability in the rainy season translates to accelerated grass growth for natural grass; thus, you find yourself mowing, trimming, and brushing more often. Another factor is that puddles, mud, mold, and bacteria have the right atmosphere to form, making the space unhealthy. Sometimes, the topsoil hardens from the persistent downpour, making it challenging for water to sip through. This development affects water drainage, and the water settles where a depression is formed on the turf; thus, puddles, mold, and wild animals have the perfect environment and condition.
Another demerit of natural turf is getting slippery during the rainy season; thus, you must be careful when using the turf to avoid being a victim of accidents. How does the rainy season affect artificial turf (a green landscape made using artificial grass)? It only affects the artificial turf a little when installed correctly. Artificial turf comprises two primary components that determine how it responds to the rainy season. The components are:
- The artificial grass is the fibrous green part of the artificial turf. It can be made from fabric, synthetic fiber, or plastic.
- The infill: This is the foundation beneath the artificial grass. It is the bedding where the artificial grass is rolled onto. Different materials can be used for infills, ranging from sand to hardcore.
When these components are correctly installed, the next step is artificial turf maintenance during the rain, as the rain does not have many harmful effects on the artificial turf. Still, maintenance is needed to ensure the artificial turf lasts for extended periods and continues delivering optimal benefits.
There are specific features that artificial grasses possess that make the rain a welcomed period for homeowners with artificial turfs. These features include:
- Water permeability, so the demerit of stagnant water does not exist.
- It is not slippery in the rain
- Provision of a drainage system to prevent water from accumulating. This feature is influenced by how well the infill is laid.
Cleaning Artificial Lawn During the Rainy Season
The benefit of artificial turf is the maintenance demands are reduced, not that they are not present; thus, during the rainy season, you will carry out maintenance for it to remain in excellent condition. These are some of the things you will do:
- Conduct inspections: Irrespective of how well your artificial turf is installed, weeds can sprout up and ruin the turf’s appeal during the rainy season. Hence, inspection is an activity to conduct regularly in the rainy season, and when you notice the presence of weeds, you want to remove them. The areas to inspect are the turf’s sides and through the cracks, as the weeds grow through openings.
- Washing: The rain does the washing for you, but you still want to remove debris or deposits on the turf. From leaves to stones and any particles that can ruin your turf’s appeal, you want to ensure they are removed.
- Brushing the grass regularly: One attribute particular to artificial and natural turf is the grasses lying flat from the constant treading on them. You will need to loosen the topsoil in natural grasses as it hardens from the stumping activity. However, artificial turf is easier, as you only need to brush the area to raise the grass. The brushing should be done with brushes made specifically for artificial turfs. Brushing your turf ensures the green and appealing look stays and remains real for extended periods.
- A power broom is an ideal alternative to brushing: Still, on the attribute of grasses laying flat from constant foot traffic, a power broom is helpful when raising the grasses, so they retain their vibrancy. However, they are less effective than brushes for removing debris ad dirt.
Conclusion
The benefits offered by artificial turf are unquestioned as you get that beautiful green landscape for your home with little demand for maintenance. However, maintenance is still necessary for the lawn to function for extended periods, and this article has outlined how to do so, especially in the rain.
Ezy Decking provides premium artificial grass & synthetic installation services to the Gold Coast, Brisbane & Northern NSW areas. Call us today!