14 RAKE & AERATE THE LAWN
Autumn is the time to check your lawn for wear-and-tear, and treat it before the cold halts growth. Regular raking keeps thatch (old grass stems, dead moss and other debris) at bay. Thatch deeper than 1cm can inhibit water and fertiliser penetration. Remove it by raking with a springtined rake, then aerate (spike) the lawn to help air and water reach the roots. A typical lawn only need to be aerated every couple of years. Focus on areas that receive the most wear and are compacted. Use a garden fork to make holes 10-15cm apart and deep. On clay or waterlogged soils, use a hollow-tine aerator, which extracts plugs of soil from the lawn, every few years.