Caring for Your Mock Lawn Through the Year

Of course, a mock lawn made from artificial grass needs next to no maintenance compared to the ongoing labour involved in maintaining natural turf. And this is one of the major reasons why so many of our customers in Hertfordshire and the London area have opted for a synthetic grass installation by Dayco.

Our artificial turf is very hardwearing as well as being UV and frost resistant, so there is very little to go wrong. Nevertheless, the different seasons can bring a few minor challenges which are useful to know about, in order to get the best use out your mock lawn.

Spring

The first mowing of the year – usually in early April, depending on where you live – is one of the rites of spring. And for new artificial lawn owners, it may feel a bit strange (albeit welcome) to not have that particular chore to do.

However, if you are out and about in the garden for more enjoyable reasons and feel the need to “tend” your lawn, then it will do no harm to carry out a bit of post-winter cleaning and clearing. Your lawn may have accumulated some debris over the winter, from natural materials such as leaves and twigs, to manmade objects such as paper or other litter (who knows, you might even find a few strands of tinsel in there).

Loose debris like this can be swept off with a broom or brush which has reasonably firm bristles – but don’t use one with metal bristles as this may damage your lawn. As tempting as it may be, it is not a good idea to vacuum your mock lawn, for two reasons. Firstly, a very strong vacuum can damage the blades of grass; secondly a vacuum cleaner won’t just suck up the dirt you want to get rid of, but will also suck up infill material lying underneath the web backing (i.e. sand) which isn’t good for your installation if repeated often – or for your vacuum cleaner!

As well as debris, you may perhaps have had a few muddy feet or paws going over the lawn (not from the lawn itself of course, but from elsewhere in the garden). Or soil may have made its way onto the lawn from adjoining flower beds. If this is loose and dry, then it can be brushed off as described above. Alternatively the lawn can be washed down using a hosepipe (perhaps fitted with a spray attachment). Avoid using a pressure washer as excessive pressure can result in the underlying infill becoming deformed, creating an uneven surface.

Summer

Well, there isn’t much to say here. Apart from perhaps the occasional brushing or spray down as needed, there is really no work to do.

Enjoy!

Autumn

The major challenge for all gardens in autumn is clearing away leaves. Even if you have no trees or only evergreens, autumnal winds will tend to bring in leaves from elsewhere.
One of the few things a mock lawn has in common with a real lawn, apart from its overall colour and appearance, is its ability to harbour moss and algae, if the conditions are right.
On a real lawn, moss will be most likely to take hold in areas which are damp and shaded, such as under trees or in the shadow of tall fencing. While fake grass isn’t nearly so susceptible to moss and algae, generally speaking, being covered by damp leaves for a long time is one of the conditions that can bring it about. So do try to clear them off the lawn every now and then, either with a flexible (non-metal) rake, a broom (non-metal bristles, as mentioned above), or a leaf blower.

Winter

Artificial grass is extremely weather resistant and won’t mind the cold, even if it’s below freezing. The only action you might want to take is in the event of snow.
If you want to clear fresh snow from the lawn, be sure to use a plastic snow shovel, not a metal one, and go gently on the downward stroke so as not to create indentations or puncture the backing structure.

If ice has formed on the lawn, or snow has become compacted, it is best to allow it to melt naturally rather than pulling it off, as this may cause some strands to break. You don’t have to worry about the lawn getting waterlogged by melting snow as this will drain off just like rainwater. Avoid using salt, grit or other solvent-based chemicals to encourage melting, as these can be corrosive to the lawn. In short, the less effort you put in the less likely you are to do any damage!

Take a look at some of our London, Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire mock lawn installations here.