One simple item will help lawns recover quickly from sun damage this month

Every household needs this simple gardening tool to help revitalise their dried out lawns.

While many of us enjoy soaking up the gorgeous sunshine during the summer months, it can be a tough time for our household lawns. While some of us may tan and feel better due to the sun's shine, it can have the opposite impact on our gardens.

Despite starting out luscious and green at the beginning of the summer months, by the time August rolls around many of us are left with lawns that are yellow and dried up in patches.

Thankfully for those who want to give their garden a new lease of life ahead of the autumn and winter months, gardening experts have advised of one simple piece of equipment that all households must have.

Experts at The Grass People have shared that August is the perfect time of year to rake over your lawn to help with recovery from sun damage, reports the Express.

They said: "Using a rake, scarify the damaged patches of grass to remove the dead grass or thatch, as you will want to create a good seedbed for when you ultimately reseed the area."

For those unsure of what 'scarifying' means, it is a simple technique to help remove any build up of organic matter on a lawn that tends to pile up over summer, such as moss and dead grass.

This layer of decaying matter is otherwise known as thatch and it must be removed from the lawn as it can block light, air and water from getting to the soil to help feed the seeds.

If thatch is left unattended it will end up smothering your lawn, which means the grass will no longer grow back. Additionally, the dead matter can also attract a variety of pests and fungal diseases once the autumn season arrives.

The best time to scarify your lawn is during late summer as the soil is cooling slightly but is still warm. This balance makes it the optimal time for grass to quickly repair itself.

Additionally, September is typically a wetter month so by removing thatch from the grass and reseeding now, you are giving your lawn a better chance to grow before the weather gets too cold.

How to scarify a lawn using a rake

The best time to scarify a lawn is to wait for a sunny day after it has rained the day before. This is because the soil will still be slightly moist and this will ultimately make the task easier to complete.

The next step is to mow your lawn, making sure it is a shorter cut that you would usually give it. While this is usually not recommended for general grass cutting, having shorter grass will make it easier to reach any thatch.

Once all grass clippings are removed, you can begin to scarify. This is done by taking your rake and firming pulling at the grass in different directions following a zig-zag motion.

It should be noted that gardeners shouldn't be concerned if their lawn ends up looking messy or patchy after using the rake, as experts say that this is perfectly normal.

Any debris that gets pulled from the lawn should be placed in a bag or container. You will need to make sure this is disposed of properly and not thrown into the compost as it will simply cause more moss to grow.

The final steps include giving the lawn a water and spreading some grass seeds on the area. After this process, your garden should go back to looking luscious and green in no time.