Give your lawn a boost this spring

• Springtine rake or powered scarifier

• Lawnmower

• Hand trowel or daisy grubber

• Garden fork or hollow-tine aerator

• Bag of sharp river sand

• Half-moon spade

• Lawn fertiliser

• New strips of turf for bare patches

As this will be the first cut of the year, set the mower blades high to encourage thick grass. Then get down to removing weeds such as buttercups, yellow medick and clover that spread quickly through a lawn. Use a hand trowel or daisy grubber to dig out dandelions and plantains.

Use a spring-tined rake or electric scarifier to remove moss and other debris from your lawn. Moss might look green and healthy but it can take over the grass completely ifleft untreated.

Give your lawn a tidy finish – and prevent grass growing into borders – by recutting the edges with a half-moon spade. For a neater result, cut along the line of a sturdy plank of wood or some tightly fastened twine. Snake a hosepipe around any curved sections.

If your lawn still feels squelchy from the winter rains, aerating will help. Either spike it with a garden fork at regular 15cm intervals, or use a hollow-tined aerator that removes soil plugs. To help the ground dry out further and prevent waterlogging, finish off by brushing sharp river sand into the holes.

Weigh out the correct amount of lawn fertiliser mix for the size of your lawn and sprinkle evenly all over the grass. Then water in thoroughly so it soaks down to the roots. This also prevents any dry fertiliser granules scorching grass blades.

Using a hand trowel, cut out a square or rectangle shape around the bare area. Dig up the soil to match the depth of the new turf. Cut this to fit snugly over the patch and press down to the same level as the surrounding lawn.