If you have grass in your yard, lawn care is a regular part of maintaining your home. While there are many lower-effort options, one person's choice of turf stirred up discussion on Reddit.
There is a community on Reddit to help you learn just about anything for your home. From tree care to planting a native garden, there is a group of people who would love to help you.
On the r/landscaping subreddit, one concerned homeowner asked for advice on how to handle a problem with their yard. They wrote: "Very large tree root coming up very quickly under turf. Any advice would be appreciated."
In the post, they shared three photos of their small artificial turf yard with an uneven texture. The protrusions in the ground appear to be the roots from a tree in the poster's yard. They are concerned that as the root continues to grow, it will tear the plastic turf. They have reached out to the installer but wanted other ideas from Reddit.
While artificial grass seems low maintenance, it still has to be swept or vacuumed instead of being mowed — and some messes, like pet urine, can never be cleaned up completely and leave an odor.
Meanwhile, there are lots of natural options that are less harmful. This turf is basically a large piece of plastic that looks a bit like a lawn.
The LA Times wrote a scathing article on the topic, saying: "Artificial turf consists of single-use plastics made from crude oil or methane. The extraction, refining and processing of these petrochemicals, along with the transporting and eventual removal of artificial turf, come with a significant carbon footprint."
If you are looking for a way to cut back on your yard tasks, there are plenty of natural alternatives. Some folks have tried clover ground cover that needs little mowing, while others have opted to rewild their yard, letting the native plants take over. These options can lower your water bills and reduce the need for fertilizer or pesticides.
Folks on Reddit had a lot to say about turf grass.
🗣️ 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
One person wrote: "My personal advice would be to remove the turf and plant grass (or plants), but I'm guessing that's not the advice you're looking for."
"The roots from the city tree [took] all of the water, and the grass died. Same happened to my neighbor," the original poster responded.
Another commenter suggested: "There are other ways to get a walkable green 'lawn' without grass. Clover, sedges, ajuga."
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