Can You Lay Turf in Winter?
I'm sure many of those who love nothing more than spending quality time in the garden will agree that summer ends too soon. For those who did not get the chance to lay that new lawn it can be frustrating and its common to think that you may be stuck with a worn-out garden for another few months. So, what happens if I lay new turf in the winter? This is one of the most common questions we are asked is can you lay turf during the wintertime?
Can you lay turf in the winter?
Our advice is that you can indeed purchase and lay turf all year round unless there is snow or ice on the ground. If the ground is frozen, it makes it extremely difficult for the roots to knit into its new environment. If the temperature is too cold, is not viable for us to even harvest the turf once the ground is frozen over.
Spring is the most common time of year to lay new turf as the mild weather and months of sunshine ahead gives turf the best chance of flourishing in your garden, but if there is a mild winter without frost or snow, there is no reason why you can’t get a head start and lay your new lawn in the winter.
Re-turfing the garden during the winter does have its advantages, as the cooler weather ensures that people are less likely to tread on the new lawn and it will survive longer on the pallet after it has been harvested due to the cooler temperatures. The winter rain also helps to settle the lawn in and helps to do a lot of the necessary watering for you. We still highly recommend laying it as soon as possible though.
Winter garden preparation tips:
To ensure that your garden is prepared for the winter, here are some handy preparation tips that will help your turf and plants get the best start for when spring comes back around.
- Clear debris & rotting plants:
Having a thorough tidy up of any fallen leaves or rotting plants will not only make the garden instantly look better, it also benefits the plants by making it easier to absorb light and flourish. Any rotting plants & debris that you clear up can be added to a compost heap and reused later. - Remove weeds:
Over the winter, nutrients and natural resources are running low and are less abundant than in the summer. When there are weeds growing, they are silently competing with your flowers for these precious minerals. Help out the flowers you have planted by removing weeds wherever they sprout up. Be sure to remove the entire root otherwise they will be back. Weeds can also grow within a compost heap, so it is always best to remove them entirely from the garden. - Add compost & mulch:
If you have a compost heap, now is the perfect time to add some to the soil to give your plants a much needed nutrient boost. You can also use it to top up any garden beds that may be running lower than normal. Plus, with one batch of compost being used you can get started with making another just in time for spring. - Cover your crops:
If you have delicate flowers that you are eager to protect from the winter frost, you can cover these in horticultural fleece or use stakes to provide extra support if they look too flimsy or are likely to be damaged by harsh winds. - Aerate when necessary:
Aeration is the process of spiking holes within the lawn to help with drainage issues and help excess moisture, air and nutrients penetrate deeper into the soil. You can do this with a simple garden pitchfork or aerators that are available from most garden centres. For larger lawns, you may need an attachment for a motorised lawn mower. - Maintain your garden tools:
As the work for the year comes to an end, now is an ideal time to clean the garden tools that have served you well all year long so they can be ready for action when they are most needed in the spring once again.
If you are interested in laying turf this winter, check out our range of turf products here: or we also offer topsoil and compost. Want to learn how to lay a turf like the pros? Check out our step by step turf laying guide here
