Gardeners' World presenter Monty Don has revealed a simple trick to banish moss from your lawn — and all you need is a garden fork.
Over winter, moss can build up due to poor drainage, insufficient light, or improper lawn care practices. While moss itself isn't inherently a problem, issues may arise when it outperforms grass and leaves bald patches on your lawn.
If you're on a mission to reduce the presence of moss, Monty suggests puncturing the soil's surface with small holes by sticking a fork in the ground — a technique known as lawn aeration.
Writing on his blog, the presenter said: 'Moss is always a symptom of poor drainage, made worse by shade. Unfortunately, even the best prepared soil becomes compacted by matted roots, rain and, especially, normal family use.
'The answer is to work on it at least once a year by sticking a fork in the ground and wiggling it about and repeating the process every six inches or so.'
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Once you have done this, Monty says to spread a mixture of topsoil, sand, and compost onto the area you have pricked before using a broom to fill holes. This will help with drainage while also feeding your grass.
Monty adds, 'It is also worth giving the lawn a good scratch with a wire rake. This will get at all the overwintering thatch and moss, and let light and water get to the soil and to the roots of the grass.'
Other methods for moss reduction include using baking soda to prevent regrowth and exposing moss to sunlight.
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