Weekend project
The kit
■ Grass seed
■ Lawn fertiliser
■ Rake
■ Spring-tine rake ■ Half-moon edger ■ Daisy grubber
■ Garden fork
■ Top dressing
1Get rid of leaves, weeds and moss clear leaves with a rake as soon as they fall, so they don’t rot and damage grass. Banish weeds, either by hand using a traditional daisy grubber or with a chemical treatment. chemicals are less effort, but make sure you follow the instructions to the letter to avoid over-treating and unnecessary damage.
Use a spring-tine rake to remove moss (this is called scarifying). it’s hard work, but it stops the moss smothering the grass, giving it a chance to grow. only scarify in spring, otherwise you can cause lasting damage.
2Spruce up your edges Keep the borders of your lawn neat by using a half-moon edger a couple of times a year. this tool will define the line between flower beds and lawn, making the whole garden look tidier.
3Improve drainage if you have a wet, soggy lawn, plunge a fork into the ground all over it (called aerating). Go in as deep as possible every 30cm or so – this will help with drainage and encourage root growth for generally healthier grass.
4Repair patchy bits Get rid of bald patches by sowing new grass seed. Rake up the earth until it’s crumbly, then sow seed according to the packet instructions. Water the area well and avoid walking on it for several weeks.
5Top dress top dressing is a mixture of soil, sand and wellrotted compost, but you can also buy pre-mixed bags. Brush it over the lawn surface to get rid of lumps and bumps – do this once in the spring and once in autumn. Apply two lots, allowing a few days between each application to let the mixture settle into any holes and dips. this will also encourage grass to put down more roots.
6Give it a feed lawn feeds encourage grass to ‘green up’ and look healthy. once you start feeding lawns, they become dependent on it, so it’s important you don’t stop. Start in spring and get into a weekly routine during the main growing season, but don’t over-feed as this can cause scorching.