Lawns will be moss and weed-free if you do this 1 job in September

Summer can be quite harsh on lawns, from the high temperatures to the dry conditions, it can result in the grass turning brown, brittle and dry and worst of all the dry conditions can allow weeds to thrive.

Which is why when autumn comes, gardeners are recommended to give their gardens a well-needed maintenance. Not only that but working on your garden throughout autumn will ensure that it is in good shape before winter kicks in. That being said, gardeners have been urged to perform this one job in September which will dramatically improve your lawn's health.

Gardeners should scarify their lawns this September to remove moss and weeds and make them healthy again.

Scarifying is a highly beneficial procedure that will enhance your lawn's long-term health, by removing thatch, which in large quantities can stop new grass growth, prevent water and nutrients from reaching the soil and encourage moss to form.

However, many people choose the wrong time of year to carry out the task, when September is actually the ideal time.

Lawn care experts at Lawnsmith explained that scarifying will "seriously thin the lawn" and therefore should be kept to the autumn period.

They added: "By confining this intensive treatment to August or September, you will avoid most of the year's weed seads. If you do this in spring, you'll replace your moss or thatch problem with a weed problem."

BBC Gardeners' World also advises scarifying your lawn "in early autumn" well before the first frosts to keep lawns in "good shape".

For those who do not know how to scarify their lawn the gardening page explained that you should use a spring-tined rake to gently rake the thatch out of the lawn, making sure you leave some to help protect the lawn.

It is important to work in different directions as this will ensure that the thatch comes out "evenly".

It added: "After scarifying, pick up the spent thatch and add it to the compost heap. Then, it's a good idea to aerate the lawn, which reduces compaction and creates a healthier root system. Simply use a garden fork and push it into the ground at regular intervals, moving it back and forth.

"After scarifying and aerating your lawn, it will look worse than it did when you started. You may want to apply a fertiliser to boost lawn growth or leave it to recover on its own, but it will definitely be healthier for a good annual scarifying."