Here at Sherborne Turf, we’re proud of the fact that we can supply turf all year round. The only exception being extreme weather, such as the drought we had this summer, and natural disasters. Otherwise, the general rule of thumb is, if you can prepare the ground, you can lay it. And if you can lay it, we can supply it.
Typically turf needs mild weather and plenty of rain (or a plentiful supply of water for the first two weeks after laying if rain is in short supply) in order to establish well and thrive.
We always recommend that the best time of year to lay turf is September and October, the second-best being March and April, as these times of year often have the mildest weather with enough rain to encourage the turf to flourish and establish strong roots. However, it is possible to lay our turf at any time of year, weather permitting.
The only time we would strongly recommend against laying is during extremely hot, dry weather. In these conditions turf will struggle to establish and would require a lot of water, preferably through a sprinkler system – something that would cost you a lot of money as well as not being great for the environment. For more information on laying in hot and dry conditions, read our advice here.
When it comes to cold weather, there is no reason you cannot lay turf as long as you can prepare the ground.
Have a look at our guide to preparing and laying turf here. If, however, you are worried about frost and freezing conditions, follow our advice:
- Prepare the ground as normal, laying the turf as per our instructions above.
- Cold weather will cause the turf to go into a dormant state. It will stay alive throughout the winter, but it will not grow. This means the roots will not establish until warmer weather and the turf will remain easy to lift back off the ground until this happens.
- Do not mow. The turf roots will not have established so it will not be safe to mow.
- (This applies to all lawns, including recently laid turf where the roots have established. Refrain from mowing in freezing conditions as this may lead to disease later in the year).
- Don’t over water it – otherwise it will freeze. The moisture in the frost should be enough to keep it watered.
- Remember, the turf is alive in its root mat. Because our turf is grown without plastic netting, it has a thicker root mat. This means it will happily sit throughout the winter and will start growing again when the weather warms up.
If in doubt, give us a call on 01935 850388 and we will be happy to help.
