Be prepared for weeds to appear in your fake grass at some time! Don’t worry, the artificial grass wasn’t installed incorrectly; weeds will grow wherever they can. The good news is that the weeds will be easy to eradicate and will not damage your fake grass. In this post, we’ll look at the best weedkiller for artificial grass and offer some expert advice on how to prevent weeds from growing in your lawn.
Why has my Artificial Grass got Weeds?
Weeds may grow almost anywhere, and they don’t require soil or compost to germinate (sprout). Don’t worry, your lawn will not be swamped by massive weeds!
Artificial grass, however, may offer the ideal habitat for weed seeds to flourish (sprout). Do you recall growing cress on a moist paper towel as a kid? Synthetic grass is embedded in a backing mat that functions similarly to a paper towel.
Weed seeds are small and can be carried for miles in the wind. When it rains or there is a lot of moisture in the air, the backing gets wet. The sun then shines, warming the grass and backing mat, creating the ideal setting for weed seeds.
How to Treat Weeds in Artificial Grass
Perennial and annual weeds are the two types of weeds that exist. Perennial weeds have deep roots and grow back year after year. Annual weeds, like the scenario described above, develop from seed and do not renew after they die.
Weedkillers come in two varieties, just like weeds:
- Contact Weedkillers: Contact weedkillers work effectively on annual weeds because they remove the green leafy component of the weed. There are just a few contact weedkillers on the market right now. Vinegar is an excellent natural contact weed killer.
- Systemic Weedkillers: When a systemic weedkiller is sprayed on the leaves, the weedkiller goes down into the weed and kills the roots. Systemic weedkillers destroy ALL weeds and are mostly used to eradicate perennial weeds. Roundup is a systemic weedkiller that works well.
Which Weedkillers Can I Use On Artificial Grass?
- Artificial or fake grass can be treated with any water-based weedkiller. This signifies the weedkiller is water-based if it can be mixed with water. This includes weedkillers that are ‘Ready to Use,’ such as Roundup ‘Pump ‘N Go.’
- Glyphosate-free weedkillers destroy weeds with acetic acid and may be used on synthetic grass. Acetic acid is a kind of vinegar. Weedkillers based on acetic acid frequently claim to destroy weed roots. They do not, however, destroy the roots of perennial, deep-rooted weeds, which means the weeds can recover.
Weed Tips And Tricks
- Artificial grass is made of synthetic plastic strands, which make it extremely durable. Just avoid any oil-based products. Weedkillers sold in garden shops and online are quite light, and there are no oil-based weedkillers on the market in the United States.
- Some weedkiller treatments contain salts, which can leave a chalky white residue on the artificial grass fibers. This isn’t permanent and will be washed away with the next rainstorm.
- If you believe perpetual weeds are sprouting through the backing of your artificial grass as a result of a botched or bad installation. It is quite okay to use a more powerful weedkiller, such as Gallup, which is a stronger version of Round-Up.
- Before using the weedkiller on an artificial lawn, test a tiny area to be sure it won’t harm the fibers.
- On artificial lawns, never use Lawn Sand. Iron in lawn sand is used to kill moss, however, it will stain your fake grass.
Learn More!
At U.S. Artificial Grass, we are you to assist you with any problems that arise with your artificial turf. Contact us at (800) 674-TURF and we’ll have one of our artificial turf specialists assist you.