Gardeners urged to get ‘lush green lawn’ with Alan Titchmarsh method

Alan Titchmarsh
-Credit: (Image: (Image: Gardeners World))


Gardeners across the nation are being encouraged to achieve a 'lush green lawn' by following a method endorsed by none other than Alan Titchmarsh. The esteemed Ground Force icon and Love Your Garden presenter has divulged his secret for 'scarifying' your lawn in an interview with Gardeners World.

The technique, which essentially involves giving your grass a good rake, promises to rejuvenate your garden and ensure a verdant lawn, especially if carried out before the onset of autumn, reports The Express.

Alan Titchmarsh didn't mince words when he said: "As a nation, we are rotten to our lawns. We play on them all summer. Non league games of football. We park furniture on them and then when they start to grow we cut them off.

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"We're really unkind but we expect so much of them with so little return. But in spring and autumn there is one thing you can be doing which is this."

Demonstrating his prowess with a rake, Alan Titchmarsh illustrated how the tool not only removes moss and dead grass but also enhances the access of air and light to the healthy grass. He further commented: "It has several effects: one it will get you the most ferocious six pack without having to go to the gym."

"But the other is it's letting in light and air to your lawn and getting rid of moss, which you don't want down there, and dead grass or thatch." Echoing his advice, Gardeners World says: "To scarify a lawn you will need a rake or scarifying machine. You, in effect, scratch the grass to remove the thatch it can look unsightly initially but if you trust the process you'll have a lush, green lawn in no time."

Alan commented: "What you will find then is it gets a new lease of life. You're pumping energy into your lawn by taking all this rubbish out of it."

He further advised that the perfect tool for the job is a wire tooth, springbok rake. However, if the physical effort is too much, Alan mentioned a mechanical lawn scarifier as an alternative. He added: "This has metal spikes and springs which rip out moss and thatch and slice into the turf to improve surface drainage and generally, leave things in better fettle."

Alan also emphasised the benefits of regular maintenance: "Whether you do it by hand or with a machine like this, it really is worth doing in spring and in autumn. If you're only going to do it once a year, do it in autumn."