Arizona Turf Masters

Arizona Turf Masters enjoyed connecting with Phoenix Metro construction professionals at the American Subcontractors Association of Arizona after-work mixer at Pedal Haus in Tempe.

As Arizona’s leading artificial turf installation company since 2006, we value opportunities to strengthen local partnerships and support the professionals building our communities.

Ask Mary: what should I be asking you that I have not thought of?

Ask me what you are actually worried about. Two weeks of these came from real questions people sent me, the uncomfortable ones included, smell and heat and whether the bid was fair. I would rather talk you out of the wrong yard than sell you one. Twenty years for this company and seventeen for me say the good projects start with a blunt conversation.

Whatever it is, Ask Mary. Call (480) 751-4343. Everybody needs a Mary.

Ask Mary: I have big shade trees. Is turf still worth it under them?

Usually yes, and here is the honest catch. Grass under a heavy canopy rarely wins, so turf ends a fight you have been losing for years. But turf under trees means more leaf blowing, not less, because the leaves sit on top instead of vanishing into the lawn. And you still water the trees, so the irrigation does not go away. Go in knowing both of those and you will be happy with it.

Got a shady yard? Ask Mary. Call (480) 751-4343.

Ask Mary: will turf fix the corner of my yard that floods?

Straight answer, no. Turf is permeable and drains about like the ground underneath it, so a spot that pooled before will pool after. What we can do is find the cause. Roof runoff with no gutters is the one I see most, and a rock dissipation bed under the discharge point is something we can build into the job. Gutters are not our trade, and I will tell you to call a gutter company rather than pretend otherwise.

Got a wet spot? Send me a photo after the next storm. Ask Mary. Call (480) 751-4343.

Ask Mary: can I put a swing set or a play structure on turf?

Yes, and it is one of my favorite uses for it. No mud under the swings, no worn dirt patch at the bottom of the slide, no stickers in bare feet. We plan the layout around the footings so the structure sits solid, and we can add a pad underneath in the landing areas. Tell me what you are putting out there and we will build for it.

Planning a play yard? Ask Mary. Call (480) 751-4343.

Ask Mary: how do I know if the turf is too hot for my dog's paws?

Use the seven second test. Press the back of your hand flat on the turf and hold it there for seven seconds. If you cannot, it is too hot for paws, and so is your driveway and your patio. In full sun every surface out there warms up and turf is no different, so on a brutal afternoon give it a quick rinse, walk the dog early or late, and put the shade where the dog actually lies down.

Got a dog and a hot yard? Ask Mary. Call (480) 751-4343.

It is the question I get every September: do I really have to overseed again this year?

Short answer, no. Overseeding is a choice, not a requirement.

I wrote up what the choice actually costs, because most people have never seen it side by side. A Bermuda lawn kept green with winter rye can need more than 55 inches of water a year. Let it go dormant instead and it is more than 40. Roughly 15 inches a year exists purely so the grass is green in January.

And to get rye to germinate in our air, the University of Arizona's own guidance is watering three to four times a day for seven to ten days. Every fall.

You have three honest options and turf is only one of them. Keep overseeding and accept the water and the weekend. Skip it and let the Bermuda go brown for a few months, which uses far less winter water. Or convert to turf and be green in January and in July with nothing to plant.

Desert landscaping and low water plants are good options too, and I will tell any homeowner that plainly. The point is not that everyone needs turf. The point is that the fall rye ritual is worth a second look this year.

Full breakdown, including what the 2027 Colorado River cuts actually mean for your tap:
https://azturfmasters.com/blog/skip-overseed-your-arizona-lawn-doesnt-need-winter-rye

Got a question about your own yard? Ask me right here. Or call (480) 751-4343.
Arizona Turf Masters, installing across the Valley and Tucson since 2006. AZ ROC 234276.

Arizona Turf Masters Arizona Turf Masters brings 20 years in synthetic turf and over 1 million sq ft installed across Arizona. We know this product and this climate — and we back every install with two decades of hands-on experience ROC 234276

Ask Mary: what happens to my sprinklers when the turf goes in?

They get shut down and capped in the turf area, and this matters more than people expect. Leaving irrigation running under turf can void your base warranty. If you have trees or planters that still need water, we keep those zones alive and work around them. Tell me what is planted out there and we will sort the zones before install day.

Got an irrigation question? Ask Mary. Call (480) 751-4343.

Ask Mary: can you just lay turf over my existing lawn?

No. The old grass and the organic material under it come out first, then we build and compact the base, then the turf goes down. That prep is the majority of the work and it is really what you are buying. It is also why a proper turf job takes a couple of days rather than an afternoon.

Wondering what is involved in your yard? Ask Mary. Call (480) 751-4343.

Ask Mary: is artificial turf toxic? I keep reading about PFAS.

Fair thing to ask, and I would rather answer it than dodge it. The turf we install is made without intentionally added PFAS, and we keep the Prop 65 and manufacturer statements on file.

If you want to read them for the exact product going in your yard, DM or call me and I will send them over.

The other half of the ledger is what turf takes away: no fertilizer, no w**d spray, no pesticide where your kids and dogs play.

Want the paperwork on your product?

Ask Mary. Call (480) 751-4343.