Lawns tend to be a complete mess in February thanks to moss and gardeners should take care of them now as they can become a bigger problem in spring. Moss is a spongy plant that will grow on the top of lawns and completely smothers grass as it blocks sunlight and water from reaching the roots.

Grass goes into dormancy to reserve energy over winter, but it will slowly begin to wake up to begin growing again in the next few weeks as the weather gets warmer. February tends to be the worst month for moss as it can only grow in a wet environment, and it can easily overwhelm grass and make a lawn come back really patchy in spring.However, Lamara McBride, a gardening expert from The Lawn Pack, has shared one easy method to remove moss: aerate the lawn.

Lamara said: "Moss loves a boggy lawn so lets start to improve drainage. You can do this by carrying out a technique called aeration, a term for creating channels for air to reach the soil and improve circulation."

Lawn soil tends to become compact when moss is growing, and aeration is simply the process of poking holes in the ground with a pitchfork so air can reach the grass roots.

Aeration breaks down matted moss and allows stagnant water sitting on the surface of the lawn to drain away, helping to remove the conditions that cause moss to grow.

Lawns become waterlogged over winter, which is the main reason moss grows, and aerating the grass is the most effective way to prevent moss from coming back.

Aerating is very simple and does not require spending any money but will help you grow much healthier grass that will come back a lot thicker in spring.

To aerate a lawn, all you need is a pitchfork. Pick a day when the soil is slightly damp, ideally the day after it has rained. If the ground is too dry it will be difficult to work with, while overly wet and soggy soil will collapse as soon as the pitchfork is removed.

All you need to do is push the pitchfork down into the lawn around 10 centimetres. Gently rock the pitchfork to open the hole, then pull it out.

Repeatedly do this across the whole lawn every 15 centimetres. Try to focus on areas of the grass that has puddles or looks like it has a mossy patch.

Avoid stepping on the lawn for a few days after aerating, and the moss should naturally shrivel away as it can only grow in a damp area.

Make sure to fertilise your lawn and once spring arrives, and it should come back glossy, green and completely moss-free.