It may be frustrating to see weeds and moss appearing on your Artificial turf, however, this is not uncommon and mother nature always prevails over time. This guide will show you the best practices for eliminating weeds and moss from your turf or putting green…
Many turf owners are under the impression that artificial grass is “zero maintenance”, however, we try to educate our clients that it’s actually a “low-maintenance” alternative to natural grass. Imagine if you never vacuumed your carpets, they would get pretty gross after a few years! Artificial grass is comparable to an outdoor carpet that accumulates dirt, debris, hair, pet urine and more over time. If the turf is never maintained, it is quite possible that weeds can appear depending on the yard conditions. Here is what causes moss and weeds in the first place and how to eliminate them:
Weeds:
When your turf was installed, we likely removed a 4” layer of soil and replaced it with a 4” gravel drainage base (and weeds need soil to grow, so this helps right away). The backing of the artificial grass also serves as a weed barrier, however you may find the odd weed growing along the edges of the turf or through one of the tiny drainage holes. The most common cause of weeds in the turf is actually when dirt and organic debris gets into the grass blade layer. This turns into solid and provides a base for tiny weeds to grow, and they can be easily removed by hand. This is especially common around bordering garden beds or sidewalk edges. If larger weeds appear to be growing from beneath the turf, these will need to be pulled out by the root to ensure they don’t return. To remove a weed by the root, it helps to use a nail, golf tee or something similar to pull it up rather than just using your hands. Spraying weed killer works as well and is perfectly fine for the turf (however you should keep young kids and pets off the turf for a couple of days after to be safe).
Moss:
Moss in your artificial grass may appear during the wetter months in Vancouver if you have an especially shaded yard. In our experience, moss growing in artificial grass is quite easy to remove, while moss growing on a putting green can be much more difficult to remove. The only thing you can do to prevent it from happening in your shady yard is to keep it dry by using a leaf blower. Drainage is not the issue here, rather it’s the fact that the grass blades remain wet for weeks on end due to a lack of sunlight and warm temperatures. To remove clumps of moss from your turf, simply use a fork to pick them out from the base of the grass blades. For putting green, you may want to try applying a mix of white vinegar with water (1 to 1 ratio) and scrubbing the area with a deck or grill brush (stiff or wire bristles). Moss killer can be hit or miss but might be worth a try as well. A power broom also works well for removing moss and tiny weeds.
At the end of the day, mother nature will have its way regardless of whether you have real or artificial grass. Some degree of maintenance is to be expected, which at the very least, will also keep your turf clean and sanitary. It really depends on the yard and application of your turf, but a good rule of thumb is to check on it once a month. Taking care of moss and weeds before they multiply is the best way to go. Just some basic turf care every once in a while will extend the lifespan of your lawn as well.
We understand that most people get an artificial lawn expecting that no maintenance is involved, and we want to keep it that way for you! This is why we offer an annual turf cleaning/maintenance service which essentially keeps your turf looking brand new and sanitary. To learn more, click here: https://www.turfteamlandscaping.com/turf-cleaning/
