Green grass dye fakes look of healthy lawn

People use dye to cover the graying hairon their head. Now an Edmonton-areacompany is applying that same concept to cover brown grass on drought-parched lawns.

Bugs Lawn Care is using green paint or dyeto replicate the look of a healthy lawn without the water.

• Drought worries: should Edmonton re-think the front lawn?

"We're hearing a lot of laughs to start," said Chris Kipler from Bugs Lawn Care. "But when they see the end product they are looking at it and they're thinking that it's a viable option for themselves."

Kipler's company usually spends the summer cutting lawns. But a lack of rain means the grass isn't growing.

After hearing how people in California were dying their lawns green, Bugs Lawn Caredecided to offer the service in Edmonton.

"After doing some research, we decided to bring the product in," Kiplersaid. "And it's been busy ever since."

Kipler says the dye is non-toxic, biodegradable, and pet-friendly. The process takes about 30 minutes and lasts several months.

Kim Schindel decided to dye her lawn after payinghigh water bills to get the yard she wanted.

"Everybody's lawns are looking pretty horrid in our crescent so I thought it would be an economical way as well as an eco-friendly way to get the look we're looking for in our yard," she said.

Bugs Lawn Care has a waiting list of people wanting to dyetheir lawns.