Artifical grass - thoughts?

[Excitedannie]

I have a small garden on two levels - I had the top level paved a few years ago and its where I have my furniture. Over the last few years, the lower part becomes like a swamp over winter and I have to reseed it each year - full of weeds despite everything I do and it's awful.

I don't want to pave it but I wondered on your thoughts about artificial grass? I'm posting here because I have a cocker spaniel - she doesnt rely on the garden at all because she goes out for walks (obviously) but she does like to lay out there in the sun and occasional toilet. I just wondered what your thoughts on about artifical grass with dogs and any tips/avoids/must haves?

^^ this is a good idea.

OP, don’t worry about mowing or keeping what is growing there super tidy.- it’ll still look better than plastic grass and I’m sure it’ll deal with your dog going there better than a plastic surface.

The cost of doing a 3x4m area in fake grass will cost £££ even though it’s a small area. To pay someone to give it a trim a few times a year is nothing in comparison. So try and keep it natural and plastic free, it’s better all round.

We got artificial grass laid years ago and it has been amazing. Grass doesn't grow in our garden so it was go fake, lay paving or have mud. For the dogs and for my sanity we decided on fake grass over mud, lol. It looks OK an poos and wees just hose off really easily.. much easier than from paving.

It's funny because I've also been asking at work and lots of people with dogs have recommended it but it's all about the base and not doing it cheaply with sand only. Seems it's ok if it's done properly!

Not sure. Ours was laid in the most basic way directly onto the ground and no trouble although it can smell a bit in the summer but yeah, maybe we got lucky :-)

There are so many reasons not to do this and absolutely none to do it. It needs banning for use in domestic properties.

We're just taking ours up and changing the substrate, it's the last chance for it!

Go for crushed granite, not sand. It's the sand that holds the urine smell. Our has been down 10 years and still looks great, we went for a higher quality one. However the last couple of years the wee smell has been really strong in summer with two dogs (especially when windy) constantly cleaning it with with having a toddler. Weeds do grow but they're pretty easy to pluck out.

Yuk.

We've got it. It's good from a practical point of view. We have a dog & kids and we've had no issues with smells etc
Personally I would love to replace with real grass. I miss it in the summer I love walling bare foot outside when it's warm.
i think we will go back to natural grass eventually.

We had a small amount in our dog run area. Maybe 10% of the space just to square off a patio. It stank! Like really smelt to the point you could smell it through the patio doors. My dogs didn’t really wee on it much (must have been my GSD bitch) but it was honestly disgusting. We tried all the fancy cleaners and even had the base dug up and replaced with some lime and granite mix for dogs but within a year it was got rid of.

My sister also had it and found the same, she has one large dog.

I would have anything but that again. Gravel? Clover lawn?

Disclaimer: I have another 1/4 acre of wild garden so a 2x2metre squared bit maybe can be excused.