To astro turf my garden?

[hibbledobble]

I put beautiful turf down and it's sadly looks like the pennines now: bumpy and lots of dead patches.

Astro turf would mean minimal maintenance and would look good, not good for environment though and pricey.

Wibu to astro turf it? If not, how does one maintain a lawn?

My employers have Astro Turf and it's really handy with a baby. Down side is it needs hoovering regularly.

Reals lawns don't need maintenance. Chuck a mower at it a few times in the summer and that's it. Hopefully fake lawns will be banned before they're too widespread .

My employers have Astro Turf and it's really handy with a baby

I used to love setting ds free on a lawn- picking at blades of grass, eating them, finding a worm etc

Children's immune systems benefit enormously from being around natural soil. Exposure to the kinds of bacteria found in earth reduces the risk of allergies and other autoimmune problems developing. They aren't getting enough of this kind of exposure as it is--it's a real shame to remove what exposure they do have, by taking away real soil and grass in the garden.

gardencollage.com/heal/mind-spirit/kids-need-dirt/

I'd put up with a few holes in the lawn for that.

Dismaying to see the posters here saying that they would rather their kids played on plastic because it's "clean and safe." They might like to look at some of the research on excessive hygiene and the health problems it is linked with.

It seems opinions are split 50/50 on this thread.

I still have no idea what to do!

DON'T DO IT!!!!!

How big is your garden OP and how bad does it look??

I'm having AT put down at the end of the month. I would love a real grass lawn but all that grows here is weeds. I have spent 3 years trying to get a lawn to grow. It's so bad even the gardeners recommended AT. It's only a 40sqm area which is surrounded by bushes then a fence them a huge real grass area. I have loads of potted plants and a flower bed for the wildlife and once I can use the lawn area I will have loads more. It will also allow me to be able to use my wheelchair in the garden as currently it's far too uneven to do that

writer it sounds to me that you are being hugely over-protective of your child

What would Joni Mitchell do?
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got til its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They took all the trees
And put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half to seem 'em
No no no
Don't it always seem to go,
That you don't know what you've got
Til its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Hey farmer farmer
Put away the DDT
I don't care about spots on my apples
Leave me the birds and the bees
Please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Til its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Hey, now they paved paradise
To put up a parking lot
Why not?

oh please don't, Mow once a week, but keep it on a high setting so its still long, miricle grow patch stuff where the dog wees once a week and the odd hose down on super hot heatwave situations, we usually do it all on a sunday evening, once a week jobby

I have just changed to turf after moving into a house with a sea of gravel. The dramatic change in number of wildlife in the garden is staggering

plastic grass is just so so sad

Op you keep asking how to maintain a lawn and you keep getting the same answer, so either you're not reading the thread or you don't want to know.

If you want Astro turf do it, yes it might stink of dog piss, yes you will probably find yourself hoovering it, and yes if you don't touch it for a year it will look as shit as your lawn and smell worse if you have a dog.

However if you want it just get it. If you want no maintenance, then I suggest paving , some pot plants and gravel. You can get away with not touching that for a year.

Hobbie - how big is your garden? Mine is about 50ft and if I mow it twice a month it takes a total of about 3 hours (incl trim of sides). I can get away with mowing once a month but I find mowing nice and relaxing esp as I use a manual mower (obv takes longer with a manual mower but I find them much more relaxing than electric/petrol - this is just my own personal preference so please don't jump down my neck)

writer - it sounds to me that you are being hugely over-protective of your child

Maybe

He's just one of the many reasons we chose to A.T the garden though. The main reason though was me and DH just hated how awful our garden was.

I actually quite like lawn maintenance. I find walking up and down with a mower therapeutic, and I like the quick results from aerating, planting seeds, fertilising and raking up moss. When we had a big lawn I used to enjoy being out there regularly looking after it.

A small, shady lawn is completely different however. We have a long narrow lawn that makes turning with the mower really tricky. No amount of aerating will make the lawn drain when it rains for more than a day at a time. The lovely big trees that provide a place for birds to nest and food for insects cast an almost permanent shadow over the lawn, so it is more moss than lawn (I would be fine with more clover than grass, but the moss is grim). When we have a chance, we will be putting down astroturf, and I really doubt that those who are vehemently opposed to it on here would do much different if they had to wrangle with our lawn themselves

Rolf

No amount of aerating will make the lawn drain when it rains for more than a day at a time.

I presume that's why ours didn't drain as I think our garden is north facing - it doesn't get the sun much at all after lunch time. Add to that the conifer and laburnum (both too big for the garden and now gone) and the lawn didn't stand a chance.

I find nothing therapeutic about cutting grass (or doing anything else in the garden other than sitting in it) and I hate the smell of freshly cut grass so I really don't miss it. I haven't had to hoover it either!

The lawn is aprox 25m2

It looks pretty horrific!

I'll tell you what annoys me.

In the UK (I live overseas), society as a whole seems to make this huge deal about living in "a detached or semi-detached house with a garden," and seems to see condo/apartment living as second best.

But then you get people who, having been given all this space, decide to cover the ground over with plastic because they don't want the bother of gardening. It is the worst of all possible worlds for the environment. If one is going to take up so much space, the least one can do is maximize space for wildlife within that space.

There is no shame in being a person who does not like gardening and does not have the time for itbut why not just have a convenient condo with a balcony close to a nice urban park, in that case? Put the paddling pool on the balcony, and clear off the park on sunny daysand let someone else mow the lawn.

why not just have a convenient condo with a balcony close to a nice urban park

Because condos don't really exist in the UK
Because the very few that do exist are very expensive, come with huge service charges and covenants regarding things like not putting paddling pools and washing on balconies
Because it's lovely to be able to leave the back door open so DCs and pets can come and go as they please
Because it's lovely to be able to have people over with the option of sitting inside or out without having to negotiate stairs and lifts
Because freehold property is easier to buy and sell
Because being able to remodel the garden to suit the life stages of people living in the house is lovely
Because being able to chose and plant your own shrubs, plants, veg, herbs is lovely

Enough reasons for you?

Also, when I lived in a condo building in Singapore, there was a team of migrant gardeners working 12 hour days in 35 degree heat, spraying chemicals on all the plants, while the sprinklers were going for several hours a day
They had regular (daily or weekly depending on the time of year) bug fogging, cockroach spraying and bird nest removal
The swimming pools were filled were chemicals and had filters and lights going 24/7
Hardly a moral or environmental oasis

You had to book a slot in the BBQ area weeks in advance, obey the curfew to have cleaned up and moved all your food back inside, and large parts of the garden were off limits for ball games and games.

I'll keep my own garden, thanks

There is a whole 'no lawn' movement, I think in the States mostly but instead of people laying astroturf they do this.... (see photos)

Taking up a lawn and putting in plants can actually be low maintenance. You can mulch everything with gravel if you really want to cut the weeding. You can put drought tolerant perennials in so they never need watering. And in return you get beautiful flowers to look at and you're benefitting wildlife hugely.

I know gardens can be a pain but we all owe it to the next generation to nurture our environment and support wildlife and not produce anymore chuffing plastic than is really needed. Small back gardens are incredibly important for birds and insects.

Anyone can grow stuff. Gardening isn't hard. Gardeners World on telly will teach you everything you need to know if you're nervous. Yes it takes a little time to get a garden like the ones in the photos going but it gets you outdoors and moving and having contact with soil is fantastic for your gut and your mental health.

Go on op. Take up your lawn and fill the space with lovely flowers

Oh and growing stuff from seed is dirt cheap. Lots of plants get sold cheaply at small fairs/car boot sales and as most gardeners are lovely people sometimes you will find yourself being given plants for free

dust
Where do children and dogs play in a garden like that?