Love your lawn

Give your lawn some TLC now, so it looks its best next year. Scarify: Use a spring-tine rake (which has long, flexible prongs) to remove dead grass, debris and moss. It’s best to kill the moss first by applying a mosskiller, to avoid spreading it further. Scarifying allows air, rain and light to reach the turf. Aerate: Relieve soil compaction under the turf by spiking your lawn with a garden fork or hollow tine aerator. Create holes that are 10-15cm (4-6in) apart and the same depth. Top dress: Apply a top dressing mix or make your own (three parts loam, six parts sharp sand and one part well-rotted compost). Brush this across the surface, working it into the holes created by aerating. Use 2-3kg of the mix per square metre.