Real Grass Growth - What to Expect

Natura® Works With or Without Real Grass

Lush Grass? Natura Disappears.

Natura can do the job so well, that you won’t even see it. Lush grass can grow through the turf to the point where you don’t even notice the Natura turf, but keep it there; it’s working to protect the grass and keep paws separated from mud.

No Grass? No Problem!

Whether you set out to have no grass growing through Natura, or it just isn’t coming through due many possible reasons, Natura covers the ground, raises paws above the mud, and provides a green grass-like look.

...or Somewhere In-Between

Patchy Grass Growth

Depending on many variables, you may see grass grow through in patches. In this demonstration, you can see that the area covered with Natura is much cleaner and better looking than the dirt next to it, but grass is only growing through in spots—continue to over-seed and water to fill it in.

Worn Areas

In some situations, paw and foot traffic just keeps wearing the natural grass down to the Natura turf. As seen in this example, grass is healthy along the fence, but in the center (main traffic area) the Natura is still protecting the ground and the paws from mud, but grass might not be as full due to the paw and foot traffic.

How Much Grass Can I Expect With Natura?

The thickness and amount of grass that you will grow through Natura is dependent upon multiple factors. Regardless of how grass grows through or when it grows through, you’ll have the grass-like blades of Natura to provide a grassed-in look and keep dog’s paws up and out of the mud. Here are some variables you can factor in—and even control in some cases—to get the thickness of grass you desire.

  • Time of year – most grasses are dormant during the winter months, meaning they do not grow and instead conserve water and nutrients. Grass typically starts growing again once the soil temp is warmer than 50˚F. During Drought conditions and periods of extreme heat, a similar process occurs.
  • Did you seed? – seeding before installing Natura will help in grass growth through the hybrid turf when the conditions permit. You can also seed over (through) Natura. Look to your seed brand for over-seeding recommendations.
  • Type of seed – tall fescues are a clumping turf grass and will grow up in patches. Other seed varietals like rye and bluegrass are more often “turf forming”. Talk to your landscaper or a lawn expert for recommendations in your climate.
  • Amount of traffic – the more paws, the less likely Natura is to disappear. While grass is likely growing through Natura, the paw traffic is wearing the natural grass off at the fake grass height.
  • Natural ingredients – seeds need light, warmth, and water to germinate. If you limit any of these, it will impact how much grass you can grow. Be mindful of amount of sunlight and water the area every so often.
  • Bare spots – there are simply some areas with poor soil or unfavorable conditions. This might be from compaction, lack of nutrients, or other factors. Some areas simply will not grow anything.
  • Dog urine – in those areas that are “heavy targets” for your dogs to relieve themselves, we would not expect much grass due to the urine. We are still working to prove this out, one way or another.
  • Weeds – anything that grows in your yard can and will grow through Natura, possibly choking off grass and stealing nutrients and sunlight.
  •  

Unfortunately, Natura is not “magic”, Natura cannot get grass to grow where the natural conditions do not permit grass growth. You will still need moisture, heat, light and seed for grass to grow – sorry, that’s just how it works. In those areas where grass cannot grow, Natura is your green grass cover. In areas where the conditions are right for natural vegetation, Natura helps you protect that area from wearing down, and we’re really good at that.

The Value of Natura

Natura allows you to be able to grow grass, which can lead to a beautiful dog exercise yard. It also leads to healthier dogs because they can smell the earth directly through the turf—occupying them and lessening their anxiety regarding their surroundings. Natura protects the grass that does grow through it. In essence, Natura prevents the grass from being worn down to the ground, so that grass can recover again and again. 

ALLOWS GRASS TO GROW

No other pet turf on the market allows grass to grow through it like Natura does.

PROTECTS THE GRASS

The patent-pending hybrid turf design of Natura acts as a protective barrier once grass grows through it to help it regrow.

COVERS GRASSLESS AREAS

The synthetic turf of Natura mimics the look of grass when none is there. In addition, the turf raises your dog’s paws up and above the mud.

View Real World Installations​

Natura is being installed across the country, under all types of climate conditions and unrelenting stresses. View our Gallery page to see Natura “in-action” to help you understand what you can expect.

How To Get The Best Results

We have an entire page dedicated to installation instructions as well as videos and PDF instructions to view in both English and Spanish. We have found that the “devil is in the details”; prep the ground properly and continue to tend to the ground and you’ll find Natura to be the dog exercise support system that will keep the dogs happy, your clients happy, and your facility clean. 

Expected Wear Patterns

In light to moderate foot traffic (less than hourly traffic), Natura can last five to ten years before developing worn or “bald” spots. This wearing would be the result of the Natura blades breaking off or wearing down gradually. Under heavy traffic (hourly or more frequent), high-traffic areas may need to be patched and re-seeded as frequently as every two to three years.

Patching is simple; the worn area can be cut out with household scissors and a new replacement piece can be cut to fit the area. We recommend seeding the ground before installing the new Natura piece. The new Natura piece should be anchored in with plastic or eco-friendly anchors. We strongly discourage the use of metal yard staples with Natura. Please see our installation section for the proper techniques to get the best performance out of your Natura hybrid turf. 

*The illustration to the left represents expected wear patterns for a pet facility that has upwards of 100 dogs on the turf every day.