Gardening expert's two-second tip that will prevent a waterlogged lawn

A gardening expert has shared a simple yet effective tip that will prevent the grass in your backyard from becoming waterlogged due to adverse weather.

After recovering from the eighth wettest winter on record, gardeners might be relieved to see spring emerging. However, the Met Office forecast for the upcoming week shows a flurry of wet activity, meaning that people who are trying to perfect their lawns may run into problems.

However, there is one tip that can prevent your lawn from running into issues, according to a gardening expert.

Timothy Greene, grass expert from iCANLAWN.com, has shared a two-second tip that everyone should follow which will allow your grass to breathe. All you have to do is aerate your lawn with a pitchfork or another tool that can stab the ground.

Mr Greene said: "Aerating the lawn often is key during spring and summer months. Aeration is a process of penetrating the soil to airflow. It can be done with a pitchfork or with more elaborate tools.

"It takes two seconds to do but you will need to do it across the lawn to ensure water to drain effectively."

The expert also spoke about how the UK's forecasts have affected people's plans for their garden, adding: "The saying goes ‘March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers' but after a very wet winter, lawns across the UK have already had their fair share of rainwater.

"And with April’s forecast set to bring the typical rainfall it's known for, this could spell trouble for gardens. Waterlogged lawns breed diseases that can kill grass, meaning there is not much there when the water eventually disperses."

The Met Office has noted that the upcoming April showers showcase the transition from chilly winter to mild spring - but rain is likely in the near future.

The forecasters explained: "The jet stream starts to move northwards, which can bring the first signs of warmth, but also tends to make our weather more unsettled due to low-pressure systems being driven towards the UK, and so we get rain, showers and strong wind."

While changing the weather isn’t possible, Mr Greene insists gardeners can prepare their lawns for the wet weather in other ways as well. He explained: "Check you have the right soil composition. A healthy lawn will have open pockets to allow for the free flow of air, nutrients and water. But lawn use can cause soil to become compacted.

"Some new gardens use clay foundations which retain moisture more than other soils but need particular grass seed and feed to ensure the lawn can thrive."

Removing moss from the lawn can also prevent areas from staying wetter for longer as the moss will block the flow of water. The expert also recommends keeping your lawn thick for the time being to avoid puddles forming on the grass.

He added: "Overseeing will prevent flooding as it will get rid of bald patches on your lawn. When done regularly, over-seeding can improve root structure and density over time, improving how grass absorbs rainwater."

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter.