Weeds are one of a gardener’s biggest nemesis. You pull one out and 10 more crop up. Weeds are plants, too, and unfortunately, they sprout and grow with a particular force in spring. Digging, pulling, and spraying herbicides are classic ways to deal with weed woes, but there’s another lesser-known, labor-saving option – Artificial Grass!

Do weeds grow in artificial grass?

Compared to natural grass, artificial grass is low maintenance. You can enjoy the many benefits that it offers without the lengthy and expensive process of keeping it looking green and healthy. You can avoid any watering, mowing, fertilizing, re-seeding, weeding and edging; however, there is some maintenance that comes with artificial grass.

To keep it looking lush and clean, it needs to be dust off, brushed and once in a while sprayed as well as picking up after your pets. Sometimes you will have to pull the occasional weed. Artificial grass is durable and without a doubt more weed resistant than natural grass. However, it is possible for weeds to grow through the small holes in the backing material and around the edges. Depending on the type of infill used, weeds may sometimes develop in the infill. Weeds that grow in infill cannot root beneath the turf, so you can easily remove it; however, if you use sand infill the seeds might germinate, and you will see weeds growing in your artificial grass.

It is hard for weeds to grow from the soil because there are several steps during the install process that prevents weed growth. Excavating the area will remove a lot of weed surfaces after a weed killer is sprayed in the area that will kill seeds within the soil. The compacted base also helps block weeds from growing; we also highly recommend a weed barrier.

Even though the proper steps are taken to get rid of weeds, it is difficult to destroy all existing weed roots, and you may find weeds that will make their way to the surface. We most commonly see them on concrete walkways and driveways. It is common to see them make their way up through the cracks and around the edges.

Here are some options for getting rid of weeds.

There are three primary options:

1. Hand-pulling:  Weeding removes shoots, but the weeds could continue to regrow until the tubers are removed. However, many ForeverLawn clients have success with eradicating the shoots after a season or two of pulling them as they appear.
2. Chemical herbicides: There are several pre-emergence and post-emergence products that work to eliminate the weeds for up to six months at a time, before requiring reapplication. There are a number of products available with varying chemical combinations, and the selection must be made by homeowners according to their personal preferences.
3. Natural weed killing mixtures: There are several natural mixtures found online; however, most kill the shoots and not the tubers.