Can you lay turf in winter?

To the more sensible people among us, laying turf in the wintertime would seem an odd thing to want to do. After all, winter is for enjoying walks wrapped up in a big coat, scarf and hat, followed by a blazing log fire, glass of wine and the anticipation of the festive season soon approaching.

Generally, the garden has been put to bed for another year not to be reawakened until spring, and all thoughts of the lawn banished to back of the mind.

But if that is the case, why do we get asked this question so often? Who are these winter layers of turf and why can’t they wait until the warmer months? I suppose some installations are seasonal and certainly, we’ve supplied lots of turf to Christmas-theme displays where rolling it out in winter is unavoidable.

But then there are just those who cannot leave the garden alone regardless of the time of year and love to stuck into an outdoor project. If that means turf is to be laid on Christmas Day, that’s what they do.

But are they right to?

Can you buy turf in winter?

Before we get into whether or not it is a good idea to lay turf in the winter, it would be wise to discuss the supply of turf over the winter months. After all, if you can’t buy it, you can’t lay it, however much you might want to.  

Good news, however. Most producers, ourselves included, continue growing turf all year round. In fact, the cold weather doesn’t impact on the production of turf much at all, unless the ground is frozen for long periods of time, in which case harvesting it can be a problem.

Even a hard frost in the morning rarely stops us as we can put off taking the turf up until later in the afternoon when the ground has thawed a bit. So, as long as the roads are passable and we can deliver, you can have your turf at any time of year.

Laying turf in winter

So, if you can grow and harvest turf in the winter, can you lay it?

Well, surprisingly, the answer is yes. And it’s not just possible. It turns out, winter is a great time to lay turf.

That’s because laying turf during the winter months means it has the time to fully root before the coming of spring and summer and the warmer weather. Because there is no rush to to use it as a lawn as is usually the case when laying turf in the summer, it can take its time to slowly root and become fully fixed into place.

Also, turf laid in the winter tends to require much less maintenance. The ground is likely to be much more moist than in the summer, so far less watering is needed, and it is unlikely to require mowing unless some unseasonably hot weather comes along. Also, because of the extra moisture in the ground, the law won’t need any fertiliser either, except under exceptional circumstances.

Finally, most grass is resistant to moderately cold temperatures such as we get in the UK – after all, your lawn doesn’t die over winter, it merely slows its growth – so the turf will happily root in its new environment until the warm weather comes, when it should show impressive growth.

So, if you’re wanting to replace your old, tired lawn and you’re happy getting into the garden over the colder months, laying turf in wintertime could be the most sensible option. The lawn will require far less work to get it established, and come the warmer months when you want to be outside more, it will be fully established and ready for the rigours of day-to-day life.

Can I lay turf is the ground is frozen?

Although laying turf in the winter is surprisingly effective, we don’t recommend laying it if the weather is extremely cold and the ground is frozen. Whereas the temperature itself won’t have a detrimental impact on the turf, the ground will be too hard for the turf roots to penetrate, which is essential for the turf to become established.

So, if you’re planning to lay some turf during winter but the temperature suddenly takes a nose dive and the ground becomes hard under foot, then delay your plans. Wait until the cold snap ends, the ground thaws and the roots are able to grow down into the earth below, as this will lead to the best results.

Will snow damage my turf?

Once your turf is laid, what happens if the weather takes a turn for the worse and snow starts to fall? Well, as with your existing lawn, turf, if established, won’t take any damage from the cold.

However, occasionally, grass can develop snow mould – small, straw-colour circles on the swards. If there is a full covering of snow over days or even weeks, this might be unavoidable, but if the bad weather is predicted, you should be able to stop it with a preventative fungal treatment.

If a cold snap takes you by surprise, however, the best you can do is to try to minimise the chances of getting snow mould by not throwing extra snow from drives or footpaths on to your turf, and by clearing your lawn as soon as you can.

If you do experience snow mould, avoiding walking on your turf at all costs as it spreads very easily. The best way to get rid of it is by fertilising the grass and cutting it until the mould has grown out. This can take some time and it is better waiting for the warmer weather to do this, when grass growth is faster.

What about wildflower turf?

As with grass turf, wildflower turf can be laid at any time in the year. However, in colder weather the different varieties of plant generally lay dormant, meaning growth might not be seen. But despite this, the turf will still establish itself during winter so when the warmer weather comes, it will flourish, producing the wonderful wildflower effect it is known for.

Always choose plastic-free

Whatever turf you choose, always ensure it is plastic free.

Some turfs are grown using a plastic mesh in the soil to help it stay together when being harvested. Unfortunately, however, that plastic mesh is then buried in the soil once the turf is laid and over time will break down into microplastics to pollute the local environment and even get into watercourses where it can enter the food chain.

At Lindum Turf, we believe this practice is outdated and should be stopped. That’s why all of our turf is plastic-free or grown on sandy loam soil.

By choosing plastic free, you’ll be able to enjoy your fantastic new lawn guilt-free, knowing laying it has in no way harmed the environment. 

To view all of our plastic-free turfs, click here https://turf.co.uk/all-products.