Faux Grass In San Bernardino: This Ain't Your Father's AstroTurf®

Courtesy of San Bernardio County Sun
Written by Suzanne Sproul
AstroLawn®: www.astrolawn.com
October 24, 2005

No matter the season, the grass is always greener at the Cravin house in north Fontana.

That's completely by design.

The family doesn't mow, doesn't fertilize, doesn't rake and doesn't water. In these sometimes hot days of autumn, the lawn never looked better. It's faux grass, but you probably wouldn't notice unless you really got down on your knees and rolled around a bit.

Nathandra and Joseph Cravin tired of typical backyard lawn problems -- brown spots, bug troubles and the use of lots of water to try and keep things looking good. And since the Cravins operate Tots 2 Teens Home Away From Home Family Child Care in their home, they had to give extra consideration for lawn upkeep since children were involved.

"The lawn had bugs and ants in it constantly. During certain times of the year, the grass could make you sneeze. We got so we had to keep the children inside because we didn't want them scratching," said Nathandra Joseph-Cravin (her maiden name is the same as her husband's first name).

When they found out about waterless grass, it didn't tagke the couple long to redesign the yard.

"Personally, I think this is the best thing we could have ever done," she said about the new yard which was installed a couple months ago. "It works great for us, but then there are other things, too. Our water bill is almost non-existent. And today, when everyone is talking about conserving water, we're helping to do our part. Everyone should do this."

The Cravins hired Eco Alliance waterless grass of Redlands to install their lawn. Eco Alliance isn't the only company selling the product, but it's one of the newest on the local scene. Eco Alliance waterless grass is manufactured mainly of polyethylene, a durable plastic. Non-toxic and environmentally friendly, polyethylene is used in everything from water pipes to toys. As grass, it's installed with sand and a cushion-like Dow Biobalance backing that allows water to drain.

Eco Alliance president is Bob Delozier. He learned firsthand about the product while redoing his yard. He wanted to have a putting green in the yard, too. While researching that, he decided that waterless grass had other applications. He installed 6,000 square feet of it in his own backyard and started the business, which distributes to contractors, landscapers and builders.

"There is no end in sight for this business, which in Southern California is booming. I'm not trying to push my business, but honestly, the office gets 50 to 75 calls a day from people who are at least interested in this. Everyone wants to feel it before they go forward. It's not the artificial turf you might think of. It blends several blade sizes of grass in different shades of green," Delozier said.

For instance, the 2-inch grass is manufactured to look like 2-inch Fescue. It may look like the real thing, but it doesn't cost the same.

"The only real hurdle to this product is the cost. It is more expensive. We charge about $6.50 a square foot, but we back our work with a 20-year guarantee. You won't get yellow spots. You won't have weeds growing out in odd places. And it won't make you sneeze during allergy season," he said.

Nathandra Cravin said she weighed the costs, but decided to think long-term.

"Yes, it costs more at first, but it saves me money now and will continue to do so for the next 10 years or longer. It is a great investment," she said.

Sam and Jean Davis of Redlands was one of the first families in the Inland area to landscape their yard with Eco Alliance waterless grass.

"I've had the Eco Alliance waterless grass for two months and it's amazing. It feels like walking on lawn, it's green and lush. ... I rake or use the blower to get rid of leaves, like with regular grass. But, its most beloved characteristic is that it requires almost no maintenance," said Jean Davis.

The Davis family plans to have the same lawn installed in the front yard in the future.

WATERLESS GRASS: WORTH THE SWITCH?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The same holds true for lawns. Which should you choose, real or fake? It's up to you, but consider some of the following:

Five reasons to install artificial or waterless grass:

• You won't have to spend every weekend mowing so now you have more time to do other chores around the house.
• You won't have to battle pollen and other allergens.
• Your water bill will plummet.
• You won't have to use pesticides liberally in the yard.
• You can install it everywhere you'd put in natural grass.

Five reasons to stick with the stuff Mother Nature or your local home improvement store provides:

• You won't pay as much, since, at least initially, waterless grass is much more expensive than sod.
• You can walk all over it, feel it between your toes and even pluck out a strand to chew on if you want.
• You can continue the natural order of things by providing space for beneficial bugs and a food source for birds.
• You can take in the good smell on a warm summer night after it's been mowed and watered.
• You just like the natural stuff and how it looks with your petunias.