November 08, 2022

Many Fresno residents love synthetic turf because of its ability to resist extreme weather and survive winter appearing great. You won’t have to worry about frost damaging your turf, but there are a handful of steps to follow throughout winter to be sure your synthetic grass is in its finest condition for spring. Continue reading to find out more.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Let’s get the ball rolling with a handful of the most common questions we receive as we install synthetic grass in Fresno. Specifically, questions regarding caring for your grass in the freezing weather.

WHAT DOES SNOWFALL DO TO SYNTHETIC TURF?

Ice should not have a major impact on your artificial turf. It is completely fine to walk or play on it if there is a layer of snow. The blades may lay flat beneath the weight of the snow, but it usually bounces back up naturally or, in some scenarios, with a little extra help from a power broom. Snow will not alter the color or impact the artificial yard.

WILL FROST HURT MY ARTIFICIAL GRASS?

No, frost will not damage synthetic turf. But each grass blades do freeze in extreme cold, walking on the grass through the winter will not cause any concerns. Once spring arrives and there’s no more risk of frost, you can take a strong broom to bring it back to life.

DO I HAVE TO COVER MY ARTIFICIAL TURF?

You don’t need to cover your grass, but you absolutely can if an abnormally harsh winter is anticipated in Fresno. Just bear in mind that you won’t want to cover sections that are being used because snow can make tarps slippery and tricky to walk on.

CAN I SHOVEL SNOW OFF SYNTHETIC GRASS?

No, you should avoid shoveling snow off your turf except when completely necessary. If you do need to clean a path, choose a handheld blower to get rid of any debris or snow.

CAN I USE SALT OR ICE MELT ON MY TURF?

You should not use any ice melt salt on your synthetic turf. Salt can clog up the drains in the backing system and negatively affect your lawn’s drainage ability. The harsh salt and chemicals can also degrade the backing system, resulting in turf blades that start to pull away from the backing. We firmly recommend you to let ice melt by itself for the perfect results.

WILL SNOW MELT QUICKER ON SYNTHETIC GRASS?

Synthetic grass surfaces can be warmer compared to natural grass, which means that a couple of inches of snow will melt faster than it would on organic grass. Because synthetic turf is equally distributed, it enables improved aeration to accelerate the snow-melting process.

DOES ARTIFICIAL GRASS GET ICY?

Not necessarily, however, like regular grass, some artificial surfaces can become slippery when ice forms. Thus, you should use the same caution you do walking on any wintery surface, especially if Fresno has been experiencing freezing rain.

WHAT STEPS SHOULD I TAKE PRIOR TO SNOWFALL?

You should definitely do a good fall maintenance routine before any snowfall. Eliminating natural things like leaves, branches, etc., are crucial. You can check out our full guide for cleaning your artificial yard to get specifics on what to do. Doing Southwest Greens maintenance in the spring is always a good time, making sure your surface is prepared for the warmer months to come.