Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has shared his lawn care tips to help keep your garden looking great – the TV star says the task is ‘exhausting’ but is essential lawn care before mowing
Robin Cottle Assistant Editor Trendswatch
09:30, 10 May 2026
Alan Titchmarsh gave his top tips for caring for one’s lawn(Image: Getty Images)
Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has recommended that keen British gardeners employ a common household tool on their lawns prior to getting the mower out. The question of when and how to mow one’s lawn has become a particularly contentious issue amongst gardening enthusiasts recently.
With May being a period of vigorous grass growth, many begin regular mowing routines, yet the No Mow May campaign encourages people to postpone or reduce cutting to benefit insect populations.
Nevertheless, the former Gardeners’ World host believes this is an ideal time to commence more frequent lawn mowing – though there’s an important job that should be tackled beforehand.
The 77 year old suggests undertaking a procedure known as lawn scarification. This thorough maintenance technique eliminates moss from turf to enhance the penetration of water, air and nutrients into the soil. The optimal periods for this are spring (late March through early May) or autumn during active grass growth.
Alan advised using a wire-toothed rake for the job, or alternatively employing a motorised scarifier for those seeking a less strenuous approach, reports the Express.
Alan Titchmarsh suggested using a particular garden tool on your lawn(Image: ITV)
On his Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh YouTube channel, he explained: “After winter, one thing that is growing faster than the grass is the moss among it. And to allow the grass room to spread sideways, room to grow, we need to get rid of that moss.
“The simplest way to get that moss, and any dead grass, out is to use a wire-tooth rake, pulling and pulling you’ll be amazed at what comes out. Great for your abs. Exhausting.
“Better still, if you’ve got a garden of any size, is to use a powered scarifier. Which at the press of a button will pull out all that dead grass.”
Alan is amongst the most celebrated horticultural experts in Britain. He served as the principal presenter on Gardeners’ World from 1996 to 2002 before he was succeeded by Monty Don. He also fronts Love Your Garden and Love Your Weekend on ITV.
He recently revealed the “most important gardening tool” in his arsenal, while also making a passionate appeal to British gardeners to devote greater attention to maintaining their lawns.
The television personality said: “A lot of people don’t mow their lawn properly. It’s easy to forget that grass is a plant and we treat it more cruelly than any other plant in the garden.
Alan suggested using a wire tooth rake(Image: Getty Images)
“We prune it once a week in spring and summer, we trample over it with our feet, in winter when it’s cold we stop mowing it and walk all over it, turn it to mud. But grass has a great capacity to recover and we can do one of two things that help it recover but at the same time, show it that we care.”
Alan rounded off the footage with a handful of swift, practical pointers on lawn maintenance.
He said: “Don’t mow too close. An inch in summer and in really hot weather, raise it to an inch and a half. Cut your lawn at least once a fortnight.
“No mow May, an encouragement not to mow your lawn in May but to let it grow again for insects.
“Well what happens in June, there’s far too much grass on, the insects, well blow them, they’ve had their May. No no, far better to mow constantly through the year but to leave longer areas that are un-mown.”
Alan can be seen on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, airing from 9.30am to 11.25am on ITV this Sunday (May 10).
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