A gardening expert has urged everyone with a lawn to do one simple job in April to make sure their grass is luscious and green by the time summer comes around…
Zahna Eklund Senior Social News Reporter
04:01, 12 Apr 2026
Lawns will look healthy and vibrant if you complete one job this month (stock photo)(Image: Joanne Dale via Getty Images)
For those with grassed areas in their gardens, there’s an essential task to tackle this April if you’re hoping for a vibrant, healthy lawn come summer. As temperatures rise, we’re all eager to make the most of our outdoor spaces – whether that’s providing a play area for children’s ball games, allowing pets room to roam, or simply finding a spot to relax in the sunshine.
However, you’ll want to enjoy these activities on a well-maintained lawn, rather than one that’s sparse and patchy with stubborn bare spots – the result of neglecting crucial care when it mattered most. A horticultural specialist on social media has highlighted that lawn owners should prioritise one critical job this month, giving grass ample opportunity to flourish and spread throughout the remainder of spring.
In a TikTok post, Dave The Plantman, a gardener boasting over 45 years of experience in horticulture, explained that April represents the optimal time to undertake a procedure called “scarifying”, which significantly enhances lawn health.
The scarifying process involves eliminating thatch, moss, and decomposing organic material from your turf, creating space for vigorous grass to develop. It additionally promotes better air circulation and nutrient uptake, enabling your grass to prosper.
Dave illustrated the scarifying technique by using a large garden rake, drawing it across a section of grass in one direction. He subsequently raised the rake to reveal the accumulated moss clinging to the prongs, removing it and placing it in a small heap.
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The gardening expert proceeded to rake across the identical section in an alternative direction, continuing this method until he’d worked through three varying angles and eliminated the majority of moss from that spot.
He explained: “What that’s done is made space all the way around your grass. So that grass now can puff out and fill that space up. So that’s what you should be doing now. It’s called scarifying.”
According to Gardener’s World, scarification assists in extracting dead thatch – the brownish material situated underneath the verdant grass blades. While a modest quantity of thatch proves advantageous for lawns, excessive amounts can hinder fresh grass development and block water and nutrients from penetrating the roots.
Scarifying a lawn may initially create an unappealing appearance as bare spots will emerge throughout your garden, however, if you persevere with the technique, you’ll achieve a vibrant, verdant lawn remarkably quickly.
Gardener’s World recommends scarifying your lawn annually during spring or early autumn, ensuring you complete it sufficiently before or following the first and final frosts. This makes April an ideal period for the task, as freezing conditions are highly unlikely to return.
How to scarify a lawnUsing a spring-tined rake, carefully rake the thatch from the lawn.Take care not to be overly vigorous, as you risk damaging the healthy grass.Keep some thatch, as a modest amount helps to safeguard the lawn.Ensure you work in various directions to guarantee the thatch is removed uniformly.What to do after scarifying a lawn
Following scarification, you can add the thatch you’ve collected to your compost heap if you maintain one. It’s also advisable to aerate your lawn after scarifying, as this can reduce compaction and promote a healthier root system.
To aerate a lawn, simply employ a garden fork to create holes in the ground at regular intervals. This can also help to prevent waterlogging during any heavy April downpours that might be approaching.
Scarifying can make a lawn appear worse than when you began. You may wish to apply a fertiliser to encourage lawn growth if you’re concerned about its appearance, but your lawn will certainly be healthier following a thorough annual scarification.
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