Artificial Turf Maintenance 101 – Simple Tips for Keeping Your Lawn Looking Great
Whether you’ve implemented artificial turf for a backyard, playground, putting green or something else altogether, you’ll barely know yourself with the time you save cutting down on maintenance. It’s something we talk about a lot here at Goat Turf, and it’s what leads a lot of people our way in the first place. But while the majority of the most time- and labor-intensive tasks associated with natural grass – like mowing or reseeding – are firmly things of the past, it’d be disingenuous of us to suggest that you’ll never have to tend to your turf at all once it’s been laid down. Happily, most of the chores required to keep it looking spick and span are straightforward in nature and easy on your wallet, as we take a closer look at here…
Brush Your Turf
Purpose: Another of turf’s greatest assets is its aesthetic appeal, mimicking the appearance of natural grass and looking green and vibrant all year round. However, when there’s a lot of foot traffic – or when you place heavy items, like garden furniture, on top of it – turf’s fibers can gradually start to bend, creating an uneven and unnatural feel. Brushing your turf weekly will make sure those fibers stay upright.
Pro Tip: Make sure you use a synthetic brush rather than a metal one, which can cause damage to the fibers.
Clear Debris
Purpose: Leaves, sticks and twigs that are left to decompose on your turf can lead to the development of weeds, creating blockages and potentially jeopardizing its ability to drain properly, leading to water pooling and a surface that’s unsightly as well as unsafe. In turn, there can be repercussions for your turf’s longevity. As well as using a brush again, you can deploy a leaf blower to speed things up without the worry of it causing any damage to your turf.
Pro Tip: Take a pre-emptive step to protect your turf by trimming any overhanging branches, especially in the run-up to fall.
Rinse Off Dirt
Purpose: Another of turf’s great selling points is the fact it doesn’t require any watering to maintain its ability to function. However, water can still come in handy from a visual perspective, and we suggest gently hosing down your turf from time to time to do away with the really fine stuff, like dust, pollen or even certain pollutants. Left in place, such things can attract unwanted pests.
Pro Tip: Avoid using a power washer, which can displace your turf’s infill and also overwhelm its drainage system if operated excessively.
Tackle Stains – Quickly!
Purpose: Regardless of your turf’s primary function or how often it’s in use, it’s almost inevitable that people are going to be carrying food and drinks on there from time to time. And that means it’s highly likely you’ll be dealing with spills and stains, from coffee to wine, cooking oil (if you’re hosting a BBQ!) to the dreaded chewing gum. To keep your turf looking unblemished, the key is to act quickly – but also cautiously. For everyday liquids, like drinks, using a paper towel to blot the affected area with water and a gentle soap should suffice. For something more stubborn, try baking soda with vinegar, and if you do spot a bit of gum in your turf, throw a few ice cubes down to harden it and make it easier to pick off. Ultimately, just be very careful about using anything higher in chemical content.
Pro Tip: If you do decide to use a stronger cleaning product – the like of which you’ll find in your kitchen or bathroom – carry out a little patch test in a faraway corner of your turf to test how it reacts to the chemical before using it on a larger scale. And be sure to rinse it off thoroughly.
Monitor Your Infill
Purpose: Infill – the granular matter deposited between your turf’s blades – plays a critical role both visually and practically, while also making sure your surface remains a comfortable one to walk and play on. It helps keep fibers upright, absorbs the pressure exerted by foot traffic and, on sports fields, breaks falls by providing a cushion. However, a high wind or heavy rain can strip infill from its natural place, leaving your turf vulnerable to both short term and long term damage. We recommend inspecting your infill levels at least a couple of times a year, or more if poor weather conditions have been a regular occurrence.
Pro Tip: No two infills are exactly the same, so if you get to a point where you have to replenish your turf’s reserves – or if you’re just starting out on your turf journey – think carefully about what’s already down, or what your primary purpose is going to be. If you’re a homeowner laying down turf in your yard for your pets to run around on, for example, you might want to consider using infill with odor-absorbing properties.
Snuff Those Weeds Out Straight Away
Purpose: It’s rare, of course, but as we’ve alluded to above, a small degree of weed growth is still a possibility from time to time. They’re nothing but resilient, after all, and rather than developing under the surface – as you might assume – they often start growing on top of it. Even if you’re very diligent when it comes to maintenance, weeds can manifest themselves through no fault of your own; just living next to a patch of woodland can mean you’re susceptible. What you want to do is get rid of them before they can take root, and removing them by hand is often the best and simplest way.
Pro Tip: You might choose to take a more proactive approach and apply a weedkiller ahead of any weeds popping up. If you do, again try and avoid the chemical types – which can damage your turf’s fibers – and plump for a non-toxic, vinegar-based weedkiller instead.
When You Need To, Call in The Pros
Installed correctly, artificial turf is reliable, minimal on upkeep and tailor-made for your enjoyment 12 months of the year, but every now and again, you’ll come across a problem that’s tricky to solve on your own. That’s where a professional company, like Goat Turf, can help. What we don’t know about turf really isn’t worth knowing, and there’s little we haven’t seen when it comes to any issues that can pop up. Drop us a line today to see what we can do for you – from installation to troubleshooting and everything in between.