Gardeners urged to dig holes in lawn before end of November

November is the month when the cold and dark nights start to set in and the weather becomes increasingly colder as we head towards winter.

The typically chilly and wet conditions at this time of the year means spending time outdoors becomes less and less appealing, but that doesn't mean your garden should be neglected. While spring and summer are the prime months for gardening, November is actually one of the busiest months of the year for tidying, pruning and planting. According to gardening experts, this month is the ideal time to give your lawn some attention to make sure it stays in good condition over the winter and that involves doing one simple job in November.

Gardeners are urged to make small holes in their lawn with a garden fork this month to allow air, water and nutrients to soak into the soil more effectively and to help reduce waterlogging over the winter.

Experts at Love The Garden explain: "All the walking, running, playing and partying that happens on lawns gradually compacts the soil, squeezing out the air pockets that are essential for healthy grass.

"Aerating the soil is an important part of any autumn lawn treatment routine, breaking up compacted soil and allows air and water to reach the grass roots so that they can breathe and take up nutrients.

"A healthy lawn typically needs aerating every 2-3 years to keep it in good shape. If you are trying to restore a very compacted lawn, you may need to aerate it once a year until it recovers."

To aerate your lawn, you simply need to use a garden fork and push it into the soil to a depth of around five inches and rock the handle back and forth to widen the holes. Then remove the fork and move onto the next area.

You should only aerate your lawn when the soil is moist, not waterlogged or frozen, and try to work around your grass in a way that allows you to avoid walking on the areas you have created holes, otherwise it will end up becoming compacted again.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) added: "Aerating (or spiking) a lawn improves the movement of air and water among the grass roots, helping the lawn to withstand periods of drought or waterlogging.

"The simplest option is to spike the lawn with a garden fork - space each set of holes 10-15cm (4-6in) apart and go down as deep as you can, ideally to the full depth of the tines. Move the fork back and forth to enlarge the holes.

"This can be quite hard work, so if you have a large lawn, just concentrate on areas that receive the most wear or are compacted, or aerate a different area each autumn. You could also consider hiring or buying a powered aerator."