best time for laying turf is October - but only as long as the ground isn't absolutely sodden or waterlogged from autumn rains, and the preparation has been done. Otherwise, turf can be laid, on properly prepared ground, March through to end of October, sometimes in February if it is a mild and not too wet year. I certainly wouldn't be laying turf for the next 3 months... but builders do it all the time, largely because they don't care about the eventual results! It's also usually difficult to prepare the area properly Nov-January - its either soaking wet or frozen or covered in snow...

Agree with Bamboo, next 3 months not a good time.

That's scary....we've got turf going down the first week in December! at the same time as our hard landscaping. We are importing new topsoil as well to put down before the turf....6" is what the contractor said.

I'd be putting off the turf laying until next spring Whistonlass, December is too late.

I very much understand your thinking MG, especially for Scotland, but in Mersyside, temperatures can be a little kinder.
Whistonlass - if you cannot cancel, which MG suggests, and probably the wisest course, then you have no control of temperature. To that end, your main concern will be frost.
Personally, I would say anything below 5C. If the temperature looks like dropping below this, then protect the turf, with absolutely anything that you can lie on top of it - paper, old carpet, rubber, wood, polystyrene. Ok, so it will look a mess, but boy oh boy will those roots get going into all that top soil. Personally, I wouldn't bother with the top soil. Turf suppliers will easily help you to believe that it is vital for good root development, but grass does have a habit of growing absolutely anywhere, soil or not, so it doesn't really matter what's underneath it, so long as you have levelled it.
Don't forget to let the light through periodically.

Thank you for your comments, MG and Jason. I am just hoping that the milder weather stays with us for a few more weeks as it's too late to postpone the contractors.

The soil needs topping up, Jason. I'll need good topsoil for the borders in any case but also a large portion of the old garden space has been underneath old paving slabs which are being taken up and relocated to make a patio. I will do my best to protect the turf once it's laid if I see the temp is dipping too low. I'm wondering too if I'll need to water the grass at all? I wouldn't water it if it turned to freezing of course, but otherwise, should it be watered lightly?

I really hope that this all goes successfully, MG...it is a bit worrying just now but as Jason says we do get milder weather here on Merseyside...so fingers crossed!

You could tell the turf suppliers that you are reliaby informed that putting turf down in December is a bad idea. You could ask them to either postpone or guarantee they'll replace if the turf dies.

I certainly would not lay turf anytime between now and when the grass starts growing again next year.

I agree with Anchorman, how the heck are the turfs going to properly root into the soil...

I've just done some Googling and there are turf companies suggesting it is fine to lay turf in winter. Maybe they're right or maybe they just want to sell turf all year round!

I can't say it is something I would recommend but maybe I'm wrong.

I've phoned the landscaper and he is willing to delay laying the turf until spring if I still am convinced it shouldn't be laid in December. I trust the judgement of all the folk here on GOY who have advised against having the turf put down next month so we will wait.

The landscapers can still go ahead with the hard landscaping, topsoil and digging over the ground to prepare for the turf. It's only going to be a few months until the turf can go down and it certainly doesn't seem worth the risk of doing it prematurely.

As you say, Alan turf companies are saying it's fine to lay turf all year round but we can't predict the weather and if it suddenly goes to freezing weather I could be in a real fix with fresh turf installed.

Thanks for your helpful replies friends.

I think you're making the right decision Whistonlass.

Just for interest I'll dig up a small piece of turf in my own garden in mid December and re-lay it in fresh ground elsewhere and see how it does.

Yes, great plan, Alan. Very kind of you and it will be of interest to others too I'm sure.

Its very much dependent on weather conditions - early December can be very mild,and if it remains mild for a couple of weeks after laying, and we've not had much cold weather prior, I reckon the turf would be fine.A bit of frost in the 3 weeks before isn't an issue, but temperatures below about 5 deg C for a fortnight before would be. Bear in mind that the soil is warmest in October, cooling down as the winter proceeds,and at its coldest in spring. Probably the worst time to lay turf, then, is January/February.

Very interesting blog how about an update on that piece you transplanted Anchorman.

It died but that could well be the horrendous weather we had in December. (Snow or very harsh frosts most of the month)

I think in a more typical winter it might have survived

I noticed at our local hospital where turf was laid in December (new landscaping) has got a sort of grid plastic sheets have been put on top of the turf. Most of the turf seems to be growing reasonably well. Too bad your experiment didn't go too well, Alan...but as you say a harsh winter could be to blame.

When a new factory was built not far from where we live a road had to be laid all the way round the building to allow access for fire engines.The landscape architect laid plastic grids through which the grass grew.It hid the road way but it was there if needed.Since then I have seen this used in car parking areas to make them look green but to support vehicles. We were considering putting it around my daughters lawn in her back garden to allow the kids to cycle on it. It would not be an obvious path and would do away with the need to lay slabs.

Interesting to know about how this plastic grid has been used...I can see it being very useful where small children want to play but the new laid turf will not support their play for awhile. Thanks Scotsgran.

We have not found out yet how long it needs to be there before you can use the area. I thought it was laid on the soil and then seeded but I might be wrong. I have seen ordinary plastic grid like you would use as support for plants laid on top of existing grass for the same purpose but I'm not sure how long that would need before the grass covered it enough to hold it in place. It was at a race course off the motorway near the Woodgreen Animal Centre. The stuff we were looking at had fixing pins to keep it in place and edges which sank in to the ground.