Grass is a crucial yet often overlooked part of many UK gardens. It can become patchy, filled with moss and weeds, or lose its lush green colour. Garden expert Alan Titchmarsh says there is a simple fix for improving your lawn now that summer is here. He describes it as the 'easiest way' to care for lawns and provide them with some much-needed attention.
The Simple Step to a Healthier Lawn
Alan recommends using a rake to remove moss from lawns, giving the grass space to grow. He notes that grass has a 'great' ability to recover, even if it looks worse for wear. Gardeners can help lawns recover from damage at this time of year by removing the moss, which can grow quicker than grass throughout spring and summer.
'The simplest way to get that moss and any dead grass, or thatch as we call it, is to use a wire toothed rake,' Alan said. 'Pulling and pulling and pulling, you'll be amazed at what comes out.'
Simply using a wired toothed rake will lift the moss out from the lawn without pulling up the grass. This gives the grass a chance to spread into the areas where moss was growing, creating a lusher lawn.
Why Grass Care Matters
In his Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh TikTok clip, the caption reads: 'It may be hard work, but removing this build-up creates space for the grass to spread, strengthen, and produce a healthier, greener lawn for the months ahead.'
Grass care is not always the top priority for many gardeners, and it is easy to see how problems are created. Alan explained: 'It's easy to forget that grass is a plant, and it's a plant that we treat more cruelly than anything else growing in the garden. We prune it once a week in spring and summer, which we don't do to anything else. We trample all over it with our feet, we play games on it. In winter, when it's cold and wet, we stop mowing it but we walk all over it and turn it to mud. Is it any wonder that lawns can sometimes look a bit of a mess?'
Alternative Methods for Moss Removal
If you are not up for pulling at the moss and dead grass with a rake, you can use a powered scarifier, which pulls out moss and dead grass automatically. The machine is used just like a lawn mower, taking it up and down the garden. Moss, dead grass and weeds collect in the machine, which can be emptied into a garden bin or compost heap.
By following Alan Titchmarsh's advice, you can transform your lawn into a greener, thicker, and healthier space this summer.
