A hot new trend for homeowners, and for landscape contractors looking to supply the demand coming from homeowners, is artificial turf, also called artificial grass or synthetic grass.

Why are homeowners, especially throughout the Southwest, aggressively checking out and installing artificial turf products for their yards?

There are many reasons homeowners are strongly interested in synthetic grass. First, most people don't realize how much water it takes to maintain the average size yard. It takes 56,000 gallons of water per year, which is enough water to satisfy all the water needs for the average adult for three years. In the Southwest, which has seen multiple draughts in recent years, most or all of that water will come from water sprinklers, which of course costs money.

Secondly, even when you spend all that money on water to irrigate your lawn, plus mowing, edging, and fertilizing the lawn, often it still doesn't look very nice. It has brown spots. Or gopher mounds appear, or your dog digs up a section of the lawn.

Artificial grass, installed properly, can give the homeowner a beautiful lawn 365 days a year without all the hassles that come with a natural grass lawn. Many people are shocked when they see a lawn redone with artificial grass, and how natural and beautiful it looks. Plus no watering, no mowing, no fading, no edging, no fertilizing, no chemicals, no pet damage, no pests, no allergies and no muddy paw prints inside the house.

Homeowners will never again have to worry about lawn trimmings, or grass allergies. And synthetic grass will never turn brown in the heat of the summer. It is guaranteed to hold its color and not bleach out even under the harshest hot summer sun. It reduces air pollution because it eliminates the need for gas-powered lawn mowers and trimmers. Many people don't realize how much time and money they spend on their yard only to have it look terrible most of the time. Synthetic turf is the solution to a great look, reducing costs and saving time on maintenance.

Maintenance is simplified to just keeping it clean. You can remove organic materials like leaves from the surface, typically by using a leaf blower or a lawn sweeper. Rakes may be required for removing heavier objects. But the leaf blower is the ideal tool for general upkeep. A stiff, natural bristle broom can be used to "fluff" high traffic areas.

Many cities and water districts are now offering rebates for synthetic turf installations, including the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and the Municipal Water District of Orange County. Check with your local city or water district.

Many local high schools and colleges are installing artificial turf because they are saving money from:

- Water savings,
- Less labor,
- Equipment expenses,
- Fuel, and
- Other replacement and maintenance expenses over time.

In summary, artificial grass is a hot new trend for homeowners, and landscape contractors are wise to begin offering this product.