For many home and business owners in Arizona, seeing weeds in artificial grass can be a frustrating surprise. Isn’t synthetic turf supposed to be maintenance-free? The truth is, despite not having to mow, water, fertilize, or edge your new lawn, you will occasionally have to pull a weed or two. It’s unavoidable. The good news is that compared to a traditional lawn, artificial grass has significant advantages when it comes to preventing and managing weed growth, especially here in the Valley, where wind-blown seeds from desert plants are a constant factor.
Below we’ll look at how to stop weeds from becoming a persistent issue and cover the best options for treating weed growth when they do make an unwanted appearance.
How to Stop Weeds Growing Through New Turf
When thinking about how to stop weeds growing through turf (whether that be crabgrass, broadleaf, or the notoriously stubborn nutsedge common in Arizona soils), the most impactful work happens before the artificial grass is ever installed.
The first step is to apply an herbicide to the existing ground cover where your new lawn will go. The area is then rough graded and excavated, typically to a minimum depth of three inches, and compacted to create a solid, level sub-base. This process removes weed roots from the native soil and makes it much harder for anything to sprout up later. Finally, a weed barrier is strongly recommended underneath the artificial turf as an added layer of protection.
The Benefits of an Artificial Turf Weed Barrier
After excavation and sub-base compaction, a fabric weed barrier provides another layer of defense. The barrier can be laid on top of or below the sub-base material. In many Arizona installations, particularly where the native red clay soil is softer, it’s applied to both.
For those looking to install a weed barrier themselves, unroll the fabric to cover the entire excavated area. Overlap each layer by about six inches and secure with flathead nails or sod staples to keep everything in place before the turf goes down.
Why Weeds Can Still Appear in Artificial Grass
Even when artificial turf is professionally installed with every precaution taken, the occasional weed can still appear. In most cases, this isn’t weeds pushing up from the soil through the turf, though that does sometimes happen around the perimeter of a lawn.
More typically, seeds from nearby plants are carried in by the wind and settle into the turf’s sand infill. Arizona’s desert environment is particularly active in this regard during and after monsoon season, when weed seeds travel widely. Once lodged in the infill, seeds can germinate and appear to be growing out of your artificial grass.
How to Treat Weeds in Artificial Grass
Treating weeds in artificial grass is far less labor-intensive than dealing with a natural lawn. Since these intruders can’t root below the infill, they’re easily pulled by hand. Staying on top of it matters, since weeds left to mature will drop seeds and generate more growth.
For persistent weeds that appear around the edges of your turf through small gaps, a diluted weed killer such as Round-Up is safe to use and won’t damage or discolor the grass fibers. Edge areas are the most common entry point, so a quick inspection every few weeks during the growing season is all it typically takes to stay ahead of the problem.
For homeowners and business owners throughout the Phoenix metro looking for a professional artificial grass installation, the team at Arizona Luxury Lawns & Putting Greens has the experience to set your turf up right from the start, with proper grading, sub-base prep, and weed barrier installation that minimizes long-term maintenance.
Reach out for a free quote today.