Artificial turf with existing trees

[Cameron]

Any one here have any experience with artificial turf and trees. It's been a struggle for me this year to keep the grass green in this heat. Also the areas that are shaded is hard to keep hardy.

So I wanted to make a switch. My only worry is that the turf tends to get hot unlike real grass because of moisture release. Any other cons I would like to hear.

The range of trees are pears, plums, dogwoods, redbuds, black oaks, swamp white oak, pitch pine and limber pines if this helps.

 

[farmergardiner]

IMO the artificial turf is going to stop oxygen and nutrients getting to the roots of the trees, leading to stress and eventual dieback on the trees and probably death. Not an option. Mulch them and forget about the grass. It will come back when the moisture returns.

 

[Sylvia]

Cameron, do you have any photos?

I don't have experience with artificial turf, so can only throw a couple more questions out there for thought.

How are you going to water the trees? Are you going to have mulch rings as usual and keep the turf out beyond the drip line?

Sylvia

 

[Cameron]

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[Cameron]

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[Cameron]

Those pictures were taken early last spring. I'll get a fresh picture tomorrow. The yard is toast right now. I do have irragation but it hasn't helped. I believe due to the soil quality, sandy soil, and that the grass is fescue.

 

[boreality]

There is at least one artificial turf that you can claim to be enviromentaly responsible. Most brands claim to be recyclable which means nothing, but one is made with recycled plastic. It seems like a good option but it's expensive and it does wear out and sustain damages like a carpet.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Carpet your yard? I think that you're serious...but I find it humorous to even consider...and I do NOT like turf!

Think of the maintenance on all of that carpet. Where do the leaves, dirt and debris go? Instead of mowing you're going to need to wash and vacuum.

Maybe just have the brown grass spray painted with latex paint.

 

[Toparboring]

Ok let me get this straight you want to carpet that entire yard right? To do artificial turf you need to dig or bring in about4-6 inched of gravel then stone dust about 2-4 inches. Thats just the base for the turf. Your yard is fine it is dormant takes about weeks worth of rain to bounce it back. Is the yard showing any signs of blackened or darker colors than brown ? It just sounds like allot of trouble to and costs mucho denerio to a green lawn. If the term forcast shows no rain for awhile don't mow the lawn set some water on it at night, when you do mow the lawn don't mow lower than 3" .

 

[Sylvia]

Cameron, I also believe artificial turf is not the way to go. I have priced out a project for an estate that was 40 X 100 and the cost for the turf alone ran around $14,000 to $17,000. That was without the prep, just the turf.

Are you in northern NJ or southern NJ? Northern NJ is in the cool season grasses territory and southern is in the transition zone. If your lawn is fine fescue it will suffer in the heat. It is drought tolerant, but doesn't like the heat. Keeping it at its higher height range during the heat of the summer is a good idea. Remembering that turf grass has the 1/3 rule for changing back to shortening it again.

If your soil is deficient, consider topdressing with an organic matter. Turfgrass likes fertile soil. A topdressing will help enrich the soil, maintain moisture and improve cultural conditions overall. (Your trees won't mind that either.) Remember you apply this at about 1/8 to 1/4" at a time.

Consider diversifying your turfspecies. If the fine fescue you have can't tolerate the heat of the summer, consider overseeding with another species that can.

Sylvia