Dos And Don’ts Of Lawn Decorating With Artificial Turf For The Holidays

Holiday yard decorations have gone from the occasional Santa on the roof or lawn to all-out coverage of every surface, decked out in blazing lights. We say, “Go for it!” – no matter how wild or restrained you’re feeling. But know that there are certain dos and don’ts when it comes lawn decorating if you have artificial turf.

DON’T drive stakes or pegs into your artificial turf

That doesn’t mean you can’t put decorations on your front lawn, though. Some things are naturally stable, such as sleighs or reindeer, but you can also find any number of metal, wicker or plastic figurines, huge ornaments, etc. that are weighted in the bottom so they will stand upright on their own. Think snowmen and giant wrapped packages or religious decorations such as angels and nativity scenes.

One thing you won’t have to worry about? Killing the grass. When the holidays are over, it will be easy to refresh your lawn.

DO decorate around your lawn, too

String lights in your trees or deciduous shrubs, hang decorations on your fence if you have one (or use temporary fence sections along the edges of flower beds, where you can secure them in the soil.) Put stand-up figures that require staking in your flower beds, too – either right along the perimeter of your artificial grass, or tucked in among shrubs or under trees

DO beware of inflatables

Inflatable figures and ornaments have become wildly popular for yard decoration, but they aren’t a good match for your artificial turf. They are so large and lightweight that they require support to keep from blowing over. Or down the street. The pegs – something like long tent stakes – will damage your synthetic turf. (You can still use your favorites – just follow our suggestion about placing decorations in other parts of your yard.)

DO make it a family affair

Not surprisingly, you can buy virtually anything you might want to transform your home and property into a place of holiday splendor. But this is a time of family togetherness, so why not consider a few DIY projects you can do with the kids? This example from Home Depot will help you create some lighted tree cut-outs – but you’ll need to make one important change if you want to place the trees on your artificial grass.

Instead of attaching your trees to stakes that drive into the ground, give them feet. They can be X-shaped (like Christmas tree lots often use), or an L or T shape. You can use this simple trick to stand any flat figures on your faux lawn without damaging the turf. Place a sandbag, concrete block, or container of water over the feet for extra stability. Or attach a small box to the back at the bottom and fill it with rocks. 

You can use this technique to make candy canes, giant cookies, wreaths, or other holiday symbols, both self-standing and to hand on exterior walls. And for a fun variation, try covering your cut-outs with fake grass instead of painting them. Or create combination effects. You can hang your faux grass ornaments indoors too – or even create a “lawn” to put under your tree.

Inexpensive synthetic turf is fine for projects like these, rather than the prime quality products you would choose for your lawn or backyard putting green. You should be able to find cheap fake grass at a box store.

DON’T forget your front walkway and porch

Lawn decorations greet passersby, but decorations that lead people right up to your front door say “Welcome!” Just remember to run your electrical cords where no one can get tangled or trip over them.