The Benefits of Real Grass over Artificial Grass
As the old saying goes, our garden is like our own little ‘corner of England’. So, it’s only natural that we take pride in our outdoor spaces.
We all want to keep our turf looking as lush as possible. But, what’s the best way to achieve that? Is it maintaining real grass, or buying artificial grass?
If you’re stuck trying to decide which option would be best for you and your property, keep reading.
Below, our lawn pros have shared their complete guide to real grass VS artificial grass, and explained why (in their opinion) real grass wins every time.
Jump to section:
Is artificial grass made from plastic?
Is artificial grass bad for the environment?
How does real grass benefit the environment?
How long does grass take to grow?
Do you need topsoil for new grass?
Is artificial grass made from plastic?
Yes, the majority of astro turfs are made from a combination of polyethylene, polypropylene and nylon, alongside a number of other man-made materials.
When combined, these materials can re-create the appearance and texture of grass, while being very resilient to day-to-day wear and tear.
Is artificial grass bad for the environment?
While the properties mentioned above are great for a property, to achieve them, the manufacturers have to compromise the product’s sustainability.
The plastic and man-made materials that go into artificial grass could be recycled on their own. But, when they’re blended, it becomes impossible to separate them out. So, the artificial grass cannot be recycled at the end of its lifespan.
For those artificial grasses that do not contain a variety of blended plastics, it is possible to recycle them.
But, before they can be recycled, the turf needs to be prepared and cleaned. All of the grit and dirt within the grass needs to be removed, otherwise it would contaminate the rest of the recyclable plastic.
As you can imagine, due to the grass’ brush-like texture and after many years of extensive usage, this is a pretty major job.
Another major barrier between recycling artificial grass is the specialist nature of this type of plastic recycling, which many local councils don’t offer. As a result, it needs to be sent to a specialist recycling plant, very few of which currently exist in the entirety of the UK.
All of this doesn’t even take into account the environmental impact of its production.
Different manufacturers of artificial grass will use different production methods. But, generally speaking, this process produces significant pollution and plastic waste.
Furthermore, many companies outsource the manufacture of artificial turf to other countries. This means that there is also a lot of pollution caused by their transportation.
So, in summary, yes artificial grass is bad for the environment.
How does real grass benefit the environment?
Although artificial grass has grown in usage and popularity over recent years, there are major environmental issues with these products. Many eco-conscious property owners are choosing real grass over artificial grass, because real grass is far more beneficial for the environment.
Beyond simply being a natural product, real grass can bring fantastic environmental benefits to your outdoor spaces. These include:
- Reducing your carbon footprint, by removing carbon dioxide from the air
- Keeping the air quality in your garden high
- Absorbing rainwater, so aid flood control measures
- Helping insects and butterflies to flourish
- Encouraging the growth of flowers and trees
- Providing a habitat for birds and endangered wildlife, like hedgehogs
How long does grass take to grow?
This depends on whether you’re buying grass seeds or lawn turf.
For grass seeds, it can take around 10 days to grow, and around 6-8 weeks for the grass to fully establish itself.
But, if you purchase lawn turf, the grass doesn’t require any time to grow. At Buckley Turf, we supply lawn turf of the very best quality. This means that, when it comes to your property, it is already healthy and flourishing – so you don’t have to wait for it to grow!
Do you need topsoil for new grass?
Yes, you do need topsoil to lay new grass.
This is because topsoil keeps the lawn healthy, provides key nutrients (both for the insects in the soil and the lawn itself), helps plants to establish roots in the lawn, and generally enables the life cycle of grass to keep going (by aiding the process of turning dead plant matter into nutrients).
We recommend that you lay topsoil at around a 15cm depth. This way, you can keep your new lawn healthy for long into the future.
If you have any more questions about investing in real grass for your property, or if you would like to enlist Buckley Turf to supply lush, top quality grass, contact our team for a quote.
