When it comes to choosing the right type of turf for your lawn, there are many factors to consider. One of the most important is whether or not your lawn gets a lot of sun. If you have a north-facing garden, you might be wondering if shaded turf is the best choice for you.

In this post, we are going to share with you the pros and cons of shaded turf. By the end, you should have a better idea of what type of turf is right for your lawn.

The Pros of Shaded Turf

A shaded turf is a great option for those who have a lawn that is mostly in the shade. This type of turf is specifically designed to thrive in shaded conditions and can help keep your lawn looking lush and green even when it doesn’t get a lot of sun. The main advantage is that it is drought-resistant, meaning you won’t have to water it as often after it has established. As a result, it can help you save time and money on your lawn care.

Additionally, it is more resistant to disease and insect infestations. It also requires less fertilisation than other types of turf grass. This is because the turf is designed to get most of the nutrients it needs from the shade and rainwater. You won’t have to worry about lugging around a heavy bag of fertiliser or having to frequently replace it either, which can save you even more money and time. Finally, shaded turf is typically very low maintenance and easy to care for, so you don’t have to worry about spending hours tending to and mowing your lawn.

The Cons of Shaded Turf

One of the biggest drawbacks of shaded turf is that it is more expensive than some other types of turf grass. This is because it is a specialist seed mix which is less commonly produced than the traditional grass seed mixes. Additionally, shaded turf is a creeper, which means it likes to spread out. It can grow into beds and along paths which can be difficult to prevent.

Another issue with shaded turf is that it tends to grow slower than other types of grass. This means that it can take longer to achieve the desired results in terms of lawn coverage and aesthetics. Additionally, it can be more difficult to achieve a uniform lawn as the colours can vary between plants. This is due to the lack of direct sunlight, as the shorter plants that receive more sun will grow in lighter colours than the taller plants.

Making the right decision

Choosing the right type of turf for your lawn can be a difficult decision. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of each option and decide which one is the best fit for your specific needs. If you have a shaded lawn, then shaded turf may be the best choice for you. It is drought-resistant, requires less fertilisation, and is low-maintenance. However, if your lawn is mostly sunny, then traditional turf may be the better choice for you. By considering all of the options, you should be able to make the best decision for your lawn and enjoy a beautiful, vibrant outdoor space.

We hope this has helped and if you should have any further questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team.

Choosing the right compost for your gardening needs will help to enrich and enhance your soil and assist your plant growth.

Why do I need compost?

Although compost and soil from your garden are great. Many of these are missing the key nutrients you need for growing your plants. Therefore by adding compost to your beds or pots you are giving your plants the best chance of excelling.

What do we offer for compost types?

We currently have 3 types of compost in our range. Choosing the right compost is about understanding what you will be using the compost for.

Multipurpose Compost

Our multipurpose compost is manufactured from top quality conifer bark and wood fibre, coir, and green compost. With being Royal Horticultural Society approved you know you are getting a quality product.

These 50L bags are ideal for seeding and potting. They can also be used for tree and shrub planting when mixed with three to five parts soil to one part compost.

Peat Free Compost

Our Peat Free Compost is derived from 100% green waste, that adheres to the UK’s PAS100 scheme. This means the compost is heated, which then kills off any weed seeds or parts of plants necessary for their reproduction. We currently offer this in 900L bags or larger loose tipped loads.

Mix with soil to be used as a soil conditioner for establishing grass or turf, plant beds or for planting trees and shrubs. You can also use it for mulching to conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Peat Free Organic Compost

Our Peat Free Organic Compost is made from bracken, and sheep's wool and enriched with comfrey. For this reason it has natural water retention and is a slow-release fertiliser.

Great for pots, tubs and hanging baskets. Simply loosely fill and water well before use. If you have raised beds, it is ideal with the slow-release fertiliser.

Still need help?

In conclusion, all of our composts are great for their purpose. We hope this has helped with choosing the right compost for you. If you still required some assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Preparing the ground is the first step to getting the garden and grass you want! When the ground isn’t prepared correctly the turf will not flourish. This can prevent that rich green glow you are looking for. Here are 5 simple steps to prepare your ground for laying new turf:

Prepare the ground for laying turf

1. 1 - Remove old grass
2. 2 - Turf over your soil
3. 3 - Level and rake
4. 4 - Final Grading
5. 5 - Order your turf

Remove old grass

If you have grass already, you will need to start by removing this grass. There are two ways to remove the old turf.

The first method is quite labour intensive. You will need a good spade, time and a lot of elbow grease! Dig the spade into the ground, cutting your turf into easy liftable sized pieces (10inches x 10inches works well), and slide the spade under the edge of the turf to lift it away from the ground.

However, if you are looking at a larger area you might want to look at hiring a turf cutter. These will cut along the top of the turf, in the same way, the spade did but without the physical labour.

Turn over your soil

The soil will now need to be turned over. While doing this you need to remove any rocks or weeds. There are two options for doing this and again it might depend on the size of the area you are laying the new turf on.

One way is to manually dig it over with a fork, it should be to the depth of 15cm. Or you can hire a rotavator which is a bladed machine that will mechanically loosen the soil. If fertiliser is to be applied now is the time.

Level and rake

We know what you're thinking, but I just dug it all over. Yes, but unless you want a lumpy lawn you need to make it all smooth again. It may well be the case you need to add some topsoil if the ground is uneven or perhaps the soil is high in clay content. We provide top quality topsoil if you need it!

Now that the ground is nice and even, it is time to tread the soil down. This will remove any air pockets and it should make it easy to see if any areas are a little lower or higher than others before you get to laying.

The best way to do this is with a little shuffle. With your feet together shuffle your feet along in a straight line from side to side of the area you are working in. You should have a firm and flat finish once this is complete.

Final grading

You will be pleased to know that we are onto the final step. Now is the time to remove any remaining footprints or wheel marks. In small areas, you can often do this with light raking. For larger areas, use a long straight plank to check if the soil is level. Followed by dragging a ladder or the plank along with the soil, to give it some texture to help the roots of the turf to establish.

Order your turf

This might seem a little odd to wait until the preparation is complete before ordering your turf, but we say this with many years of experience. The preparation time always takes longer than you think!

As turf is living, it needs to be laid the same day or the day after delivery. If you end up needing extra topsoil or the ground is too wet to turn over the new turf won’t wait.

We're here to help

Hopefully, this has all helped you know how to prepare your ground for laying new turf and once you are ready you can order your turf here on the website, or by calling our team on 01952 510386.

If you have now read this and though I am not sure I can take this on myself, don’t worry. Here at Shropshire Turf and Soil, we offer the full package. We send one of our experts to your garden, at a convenient time for you to discuss your options to get your dream garden. Call us today on 01952 510386, to organise a free no obligations quote for your new turf.

Laying fresh turf is a great way of transforming your garden. It can be quite a daunting idea though especially if you haven’t laid turf before. This can lead to you putting off laying turf until the right time but when is the best time to lay your turf?

Turf can be laid all your round

Yes, contrary to popular belief turf can be laid all year round. The best time to lay your turf comes down to the weather. In an ideal world, you don’t want it to be too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry or too sunny or too cloudy. After reading this you might be thinking we are looking for the impossible when we live in Britain! However, fear not we have 30 years of experience and are here to help.  

Laying turf in Winter

Laying turf in the winter months can be done, but you will need to be careful now we are experiencing colder winters. If the ground is frozen it will not be possible to prepare the ground for turfing or cut the turf ready for laying. However, if it freezes after you have laid the turf this will not cause any damage. We generally get more rain in the winter months so you might not need to water as much as in the summer but if there have been several days in a row without rain you do need to give it some water.

Laying turf in Spring

Spring has always been the traditional time to start working on your garden, especially when it comes to turf laying. The main reason is that the weather is about as ideal as we can get for preparing and laying turf. Often in spring, we find the ground is warmer which means the roots establish quicker than in the winter months. 

Laying turf in Summer

The British Summer is now becoming a mix of torrential rain and mini heatwaves. Neither of which is ideal for laying turf. Your freshly laid turf will require a lot of watering especially if the weather is hot. A good showering once laid will help the turf to establish quicker. Watering first thing in the morning and in the evening will prevent the turf from scorching.

Laying turf in Autumn

Just like in spring, autumn is a popular time of the year for turf laying. We now see warmer September and many people choose to improve their gardens after the busyness of the summer, ready for the next year. In Autumn it’s just as important to keep an eye on the weather as any other time of year, especially if we get any early frosts.

Turf suppliers in Shropshire and surrounding counties

You should now be able to see there isn’t the “perfect” time for turf laying. However, with the right advice, you can lay your turf at any time of the year. That’s why we at Shropshire Turf supply turf all year round. After reading this if you require the right advice for preparing your grounds for laying we have all you need to know here.

When you are ready for your new turf, you can order via our website or give us a call.

Our customer service team are on hand with helpful advice all year round to ensure you get the garden of your dreams. We can also organise the laying of your turf, taking all the stress away from you. If you would like our help with transforming your garden give us a call on 01952 510368.