A hybrid grass (or hybrid turf) surface consists of synthetic fibres that extend above the growing medium and combine with the natural turf leaves and stems. Unlike profile reinforcement products, that are contained within the profile growing medium, a hybrid grass has its synthetic fibres exposed to ‘daylight’ and subsequent wear from use on the surface.
The two main benefits of a hybrid grass surface are:
If the system is a mat/carpet laid product (see below), it can also be used as a “ready-to-play” profile. A “ready-to-play” profile is harvested as a thick sod profile in the turf farm, laid on site and used within a week of being laid. In fact, in many of the major stadium instances, players have used their surfaces immediately after installation.
A hybrid grass surface can be established via two approaches:
Horizontally laid carpet type turf hybrid system (photo HERO Hybrid from HG Sports Turf)
The introduction of a proprietary hybrid product into a rootzone sand profile will impact some of the typical maintenance practices.
Typically, the inclusion of a hybrid product will result in the profile initially being ‘firmer’ underfoot and may require an increase in aeration processes such as vertidraining to soften underfoot. This is typically the same for all profile stabilising products.
Depending on the proprietary system there will also be the following limitations:
Both a hybrid grass system and a reinforced profile improve the stability of a sand profile and can be established as a “ready-to-play” product.
When turf coverage is worn out due to high wear, the hybrid turf, due to its visible fibres, provides a green ‘tinge’ across the surface whereas a reinforced profile will not aid with the visual aesthetics.
If you have more questions on this topic, feel free to contact us or reach out to us using our Live Chat!