Gardening tips for December: Topdress the lawn
When the lawn is still soft and green, it’s the ideal time to topdress the grass


These damp, still days of late autumn, when the lawn is soft and green, are ideal for topdressing, a way of investing in its health after a year of trampling. Spike the lawn all over, then shovel a mixture of sand and shredded compost thinly and evenly over the whole surface. Using the back of a rake, the flat tines of a fork and a broom, work this mixture gradually into the holes and the base of the grass blades. Rain and earthworms, the true measure of a healthy lawn, will do the rest. It's very good exercise, too.
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