Got the hump? Hit it gently with a spade

At home I have been struggling with masses of grass and weeds in the area around the pond.

I put the weeds in a bucket and when the bucket is full, the weeds are put into a polythene sack. If the grass weeds are not dug out now they will form runners and it will only take a couple of months for them to take over the whole border.

At this time of year our lawn looks wonderful but it has been so wet, mowing has been impossible. But we must work with the soil conditions. It’s unwise to fight Mother Nature.

This is a good time to improve the lawn. The weather is getting warmer and the grass is growing quickly and any remedial work which makes the lawn look damaged is quickly rectified because the grass soon recovers.

Unattractive lawns look bad because mowing is not done regularly, the grass is too long and the mower struggles. It’s best to cut the grass before it grows too high and the job is done farmore quickly.

A spring feed will brighten up the grass 10 days after the application is made.

There are several brands available, the granular or pelleted fertilisers are best because they provide food for the lawn for several weeks. Read the instructions on the pack before buying it.

Some lawn dressings have moss and weedkiller included. These are more expensive but they are effective if the application is done correctly.

Broken edges are a nuisance but this can be overcome by cutting out a piece of turf about a foot wide and 18 inches long. Remove the piece of turf with a sharp spade and turn the turf around so the broken edge is on the inside of the lawn.

The damaged part is now top dressed with sieved topsoil or John Innes compost, and grass seed is lightly worked into the damaged area. In a month’s time, the area will be perfect.

Depressions can be rectified by lifting the turf, adding more soil and replacing the turf, but there is an easier way.

Using sieved John Innes compost and a decent plank, the compost can be levelled out rather like you see when builders are tamping concrete.

Grass seed can then be sown and lightly raked in and watered afterwards.

Grass blades will grow quickly and after six weeks the lawn will be transformed.

Humps usually mean lifting turf, but there is an easier way. Buy a hollow tiner.

This is a device which removes cores of soil about four inches long and is pushed into the lawn with the foot.

Insert the tiner all over the hump and then, using the back of a spade, gently pat the lawn and the hump will sink.

If it doesn’t, make more holes!