Can I Lay Sod in the Winter?

Can I lay Turf in the Winter? by Paul Smart

Many people ask the question of whether it is possible to lay turf in the winter time. The answer is of course yes and some turf companies suggest that it is actually the best time of year to lay turf, despite the cold conditions.

First of all though you need to make sure that the ground is not frozen solid and that you are actually able to prepare the ground before you lay your turf. Preparing the ground involves levelling it and removing all large stones from the area, you may need to add some topsoil to ensure that the area is completely level.

There are both negatives and positives to laying turf in the winter, I will start with the negatives. Cold temperatures can be a problem, not only could they prevent you from correctly preparing the ground for the turf it may also mean that you cannot actually roll out the turf. Although good quality turf should last for a week, it is best to lay it as soon as possible and waiting for the temperatures to rise slightly may well ruin your turf. There is also the chance of a frost, which could damage the turf temporarily. Turf will take longer to establish itself – between 4 and 5 weeks, but as you won’t really be using it in the winter this doesn’t really cause a problem.

There are however many positives. There is no irrigation or watering required – primarily because winter months usually have more rainfall which means that the turf won’t dry out which could be an issue if laying in spring or summer. Turf doesn’t dry out as quickly on the pallet giving you added time to lay the turf. Your lawn will be beautifully established by the summer which is when of course you will make the most use of it and similarly there is less chance of you walking on it and waiting until it is rooted to do so.

Ideally if you are planning to lay turf in the colder months November and February are probably the best options, but if your window of opportunity lies in December and January as long as you pick a mild day you shouldn’t have any problems.

So you’ve got no excuse, stop thinking about laying that turf and make the plunge, buy turf online today and enjoy a luscious green lawn in the summer.

Based in Norfolk, Q Lawns is part of a large farming enterprise, and grow and sell high quality turf. They farm over 1,000 acres of turf. Buy turf online

Article Source: Can I lay Turf in the Winter?