Suburban Affinity for Fake Grass Grows
WSJ Blogs
May 15, 2009
By Nancy Keates
It’s that season again, when the smell of backyard barbecues, chlorine and freshly cut grass permeates the suburbs. But wait! This year that grass scent may be missing in some neighborhoods across the country.
In Friday’s Journal, I write about Neal McDonough’s Los Angeles home, a white Cape Cod that’s become a destination for neighborhood kids and friends. Mr. McDonough’s home has all the trappings you’d expect in a suburban house, including a lush backyard lawn–except his is made of AstroTurf.
According to data provided by the Association of Synthetic Grass Installers, a trade association based in Sacramento, Calif., sales of artificial turf for landscapes and putting greens, a category that includes residential lawns, has grown at 35% annually for the past five years. It’s particularly popular in Georgia, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and California.
download Marked for Death dvd Homeowners say the shift is like finally caving into buying a fake Christmas tree: The benefits outweigh the nostalgia for the real thing. Fake grass requires much less effort and money to care for than the real stuff. There are no toxic chemicals to worry about. Kids won’t track mud into the house anymore; dogs won’t tear up the yard. And there are environmental bonus points since real lawns use up water resources.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix move Righteous Kill dvdrip As demand grows, the turf gets more stylish. Manufacturers are offering more complimentary colors for the natural grasses of different regions. In Southern California, a lighter, kelly green sells well; Oregon and Washington homeowners tend to go more for a blue grass-like sod. And the best match for Florida and Georgia is a dusty almost-gray.
The shapes are becoming more realistic too–not shiny like the kind used on sports fields. A new product called thatch–a secondary fiber used to bolster the primary fiber–helps keep the blades stay up and gives more shadow. “I know it sounds artistic but it’s really true,” says Annie Costa, executive director of Association of Synthetic Grass Installers. “You don’t want it too perfect.”
Fake grass can get pricey. At $6-$12 a square foot fully installed depending on the area; that means around $10,000 for a yard. But artificial turf will last 15-20 years (depending how meticulous owner is about keeping debris off he surface) and there are savings in landscaping fees, mower gas and fertilizer — as well as the extra time on weekends.
