# Why Not Artificial Silk Grass? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 19, 2003, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-artificial-silk-grass/162433 "2003-03-19T02:23:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-artificial-silk-grass/162433/1 "2003-03-19T02:23:12Z")
There was a time when anything artificial usually looked–well,–way-too-artificial, if you know what I mean. But now they have this new generation of artificial plants. “Silk” plants is what they call them, if I am not mistaken. Now we all remember the astroturf from the old Brady Bunch reruns. Again, it looked all-too-obviously artificial. And I am sure that any set on a t.v. or movie show will now use this new type of artificial plant life. That is not what this thread is about. But what about using realistic-looking fake grass for private homes? The main advantage to this would be of course that it would require absolutely no care. Thus it would be a great bonus for elderly or handicapped people, or even just really lazy people, who knows. Am I the first person to think of this idea? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-artificial-silk-grass/162433/2 "2003-03-19T03:15:00Z")
I don’t think the “silk” grass would be durable enough for traffic. And it would still require some sort of periodic cleaning - anything you put on the floor will. However, there is laminate flooring with a photographicly produced grass pattern. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WillGolfForFood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/82dd89/32.png) [@WillGolfForFood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillGolfForFood)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-artificial-silk-grass/162433/3 "2003-03-19T03:15:00Z")
…but that’s what **pachasandra** is for! ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-artificial-silk-grass/162433/4 "2003-03-19T03:24:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zyada \* > I don’t think the “silk” grass would be durable enough for traffic. And it would still require some sort of periodic cleaning - anything you put on the floor will. I had occasion, some years ago, to witness the spectacle of a man _vacuuming_ his lawn. Said lawn was composed of Astroturf. I believe this was in Bakersfield, CA–if not, then it was in Needles. Truly there are no new ideas… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-artificial-silk-grass/162433/5 "2003-03-19T07:19:33Z")
I think it would become threadbare pretty quickly. The good thing about natural grass is that it is self-repairing, because it grows. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-artificial-silk-grass/162433/6 "2003-03-19T12:05:16Z")
You know in todays days in age I always wondered why we can’t make geniticaly engineered grass thats stops growin once it gets to a certain height. Either that or make it grow really slow so you don’t have to cut it as often. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-artificial-silk-grass/162433/7 "2003-03-19T15:48:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SHAKES \* > \*\*You know in todays days in age I always wondered why we can’t make geniticaly engineered grass thats stops growin once it gets to a certain height. Either that or make it grow really slow so you don’t have to cut it as often. \*\* There are some strains that fit your requirements, at least of the slow growth. However, they tend to have other disadvantages. I can remember Caterpiller off the top of my head. And I want to say buffalo grass, but I think that might be more about drought resistance.