Q&A Lawns: Poor condition

My lawn is in poor condition compared to my neighbour's, yet I feed it every year and rake out the thatch regularly. What am I doing wrong?

Liz Dobbs: First, check the cutting height of your mower compared to your neighbour's, then make an assessment of your soil. Before applying any lawn treatments this year, check how acid the soil is under the grass. A simple pH-testing kit can be bought very cheaply and it only takes minutes to use, although it is worth obtaining a representative sample by taking a bit of soil from several areas of the lawn. If the test indicates the soil is acid, this means that dead grass and other plant debris cannot be broken down easily.

You can apply ground limestone to increase the pH (it should be greater than pH 5.5). Make sure you follow the directions on the packet. Wait for a couple of weeks before applying any fertiliser.