The decision of when to lay new turf can have an effect on how easy it is to care for your new lawn in its first weeks – especially in the event of a drought, heat wave or hose pipe ban.
Optimal times to lay new turf are springtime and around September, when the temperatures are mild and there is some rainfall to ensure the ground is fully hydrated. This will also provide your new turf with water to help it bed in.
There are also good reasons to lay turf in autumn and even in winter:
But there are also reasons why you might want to lay new turf at any time of year. A newly laid turf lawn gives an immediate visual effect that you can’t get by growing grass from seed, and of course in the summer you are more likely to want a lawn you can use immediately.
Look out for the
Every one symbolises just how well the months turf laying conditions are expected to be on average.
Keep lawns clear of dead leafs and avoid walking on delicate frozen grass.
Encourage spring growth with scarifying. Improve drainage by forking the lawn.
Lay new turf before the hot dry summer, or rake out remaining dead grass growth.
Mow mature lawns more regularly. Water new turf well prior to hotter months.
Fill depressions with light layers of soil. Take care not to smother healthy grass.
If applying new turf now ensure soil is well watered. Mow grass less frequently.
Spike your lawn to allow moisture to sink in. Protect against clover and weed growth.
Mow grass to longer lengths and leave clippings on the lawn for added moisture.
The best time to lay new turf with more rain and cool weather, but mild temperatures.
Prepare soil by giving it time to settle before laying turf on top in this mild month.
A last good time to tackle moss with a specialised killer. Scarify to remove dead material.
Keep lawns clear of dead leafs and avoid walking on delicate frozen grass.
Frozen ground is not good for turf, so if a cold spell is coming, you might want to delay laying a new lawn slightly – remember also that if your soil is frozen, ours probably is too, so we might not be able to harvest fresh turf at that time!
Rolls of turf that have already been cut and/or delivered may also freeze. This is not a problem as they will thaw again when the temperature rises, but it does mean you will be unable to unroll them or lay them until that happens.
If you have already laid your lawn and temperatures dip unexpectedly, don’t panic. Frost and freezing conditions should not directly damage the turf, but you should avoid walking on it if possible, as footfall on frozen blades of grass can damage and break them, leaving visible footprints behind.
For many people, summer is the time of year when you want to be outside working in the garden, and laying a new turf lawn can quickly give you some space for entertaining – but it does take extra care to bed a turf lawn in during hot weather.
You will need to water your new lawn regularly during dry summer spells. You will also need to mow it more often. And if you want to use the lawn straight away for barbecues and garden parties, it will face more footfall too.
All of this can put it under extra stress as it will not yet have established a permanent root structure in place, and if a hose pipe ban stops you from watering it, that will leave your lawn unable to pull water from deeper below the ground.
Because of hot dry weather, soil may be hard and lacking the necessary nutrients for new turf. Therefore it is best to avoid laying turf in summer particularly during spells of hot and dry weather, unless you urgently need a lawn for entertaining.
Even if so, you can give your newly laid lawn the best chance by watering the undersoil well before laying it, and by avoiding unnecessary footfall during its early days and when it is parched.
Laying turf in a heat wave is not advisable but if it’s unavoidable, then with plenty of care and attention you can still get a good result – you just might need to hold your nerve.
Prepare the soil well, make sure it and your turf are well watered and moist, and dig some extra sandy soil into the exposed surface before laying your turf.
Try not to compact the soil too much when tamping down your turf – you want it to bed in, but you also want a rough soil surface for the roots to knit into as they start to grow.
Regular watering is essential when there is little to no natural rainfall, and is best done in the evening when the sun is setting or has already gone down, and will not evaporate the water away.
If your turf looks dried out or the grass starts to turn brown, gently spike the lawn to allow water to penetrate the parched soil, and resume regular and plentiful watering.
As long as there is not a hose pipe ban in place, you might want to use an irrigation system or lawn sprinkler to make sure every inch of your newly laid turf is getting the moisture it needs – with plenty of water and sunshine, you should eventually see greener grass growing.
The crucial factors at any time of year are soil preparation, watering, and avoiding unnecessary damage to your new lawn, giving it chance to bed down and start to grow new blades of grass and new roots no matter what the weather brings.
If your new lawn loses its green colour after a particularly dry or hot spell, don’t panic – there is remedial action you can try.
Here are some of our top tips for turf recovery if a new lawn is starting to look a bit sickly:
Our turf is always freshly cut from the field when it is delivered, which gives you the best likelihood of your new lawn taking well in its new home. You can improve the odds even further by preparing the soil properly, laying the turf correctly as soon as possible after delivery and by taking care of it once it’s down.
Yes, you can lay turf at any time of year, although it is better to lay turf in milder, damper months such as springtime.
October and September are preferred times to lay turf as the ground will be hydrated but it is too early for frost to set it.
Frost will not necessarily kill turf, but it will prolong the bedding in process, as the roots will lay dormant until milder temperatures.
It’s possible to lay turf in frosty weather, but it is better to wait for milder temperatures so that preparing the soil will be easier and the turf will bed in more quickly.
It’s fine to lay turf in hot weather, but prepare the soil well beforehand and water the turf at least twice a day for a few weeks after laying.
Turf is best paid mid autumn or in springtime if there is rain. After October, when the weather becomes colder, it may take turf longer to bed in.
Now that you are prepared with information on the seasonal effects on new turf, place an order with us, we can lay your new turf for you, and advise on the best aftercare given the time of year.
Find our exactly how many rolls of turf you need, no matter what shape or size your garden! Use out Lawn Area Calculator.
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