Homeowner met with pleas to change landscaping after sharing photo of questionable lawn product: 'It looks terrible'

You get what you pay for, and sometimes that results in a pretty bad deal.

This homeowner wanted a cheap, no-maintenance lawn but ended up wasting time and money. Frustrated with the result of their recent turf installation, they asked r/landscaping, "Is this synthetic turf poorly installed? Yes I understand most of [the] people here are not turf fans. And yes we hired the affordable guys for installation. … It looks a little bumpy and it feels so too when I stepped on it. … I guess I got what I paid for?"

Synthetic turf is marketed as a maintenance-free, money-saving alternative to grass, and many homeowners are surprised when they find out that's not exactly true. 

Don't be fooled — synthetic turf still requires regular maintenance, like rinsing the grass to remove dirt and debris, removing stains, and brushing the turf. Installation can cost thousands of dollars, and potentially end up uneven and improperly installed, like the homeowner's lawn. It's not exactly safe, either, as turf can reach temperatures of over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. It also leaches "known carcinogens, neurotoxicants, mutagens, and endocrine disruptors," one study found.

Native grasses and plant lawns, on the other hand, really are low-maintenance, cheap, safe, and beautiful. Once established, native plants will thrive on their own, so you'll rarely need to water, mow, or maintain their looks. "[Traditional] lawns and non-native plants can take 2400% more time than a native garden," according to The Plant Native.

Native plant lawns are even cheaper than artificial lawns to install, and you'll save money every month on your water bills and lawn maintenance costs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that "Planting turf grass seeds may cost in the range of $4,000 to $8,000 per acre. This contrasts with installation costs of $2,000 to $4,000 per acre for seeding native prairie grasses."

An artificial lawn is a barren landscape for bugs, birds, and other important wildlife, but rewilding your yard brings the bees and the benefits. Native plant lawns and gardens provide crucial support to pollinators, enrich soil for worms and other bugs, and promote biodiversity. 

Commenters agreed the original poster's lawn looks pretty bad, and encouraged the homeowner to consider native grasses instead.

"It looks terrible," one Redditor commented.

🗣️ What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard?

🔘 Mowing the lawn 🏡

🔘 Controlling weeds 🌿

🔘 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️

🔘 I don't have a yard 🤷

🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

"Unfortunately, yes that's poorly installed," another commenter agreed. "It's not supposed to look or feel bumpy."

A third user argued that "Any use of synthetic turf outside of a stadium is poorly done no matter how nicely installed."

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