Doing a simple task in June can make a big difference when it comes to growing a thick and healthy lawn through the summer06:39, 06 Jun 2026A vibrant, lush lawn can be the jewel of any garden, but achieving and maintaining it demands proper attention. Beyond mowing, fertilising and watering lawns, one vital task for a thriving lawn in June is aeration, according to the gardening experts at George Davies Turf.‌They said, "If you've yet to aerate your lawn, now's the time. A lawn should be aerated at least once a year."‌Aeration removes soil and fully rooted grass, creating room for new grass to develop. The gaps created enable nutrients, water and oxygen to penetrate the soil.‌This encourages the grass to develop deeper root systems and makes fertiliser more effective for a denser and more drought-resistant lawn.The experts explained: "Aeration releases stale carbon dioxide from the soil whilst inviting fresh oxygen-rich air in.‌"It also helps water and nutrients reach the grass roots, which keeps them healthy, encouraging thick, bright, and resilient turf."This process involves spiking the turf with a garden fork, and while it may sound simple, "the impact is significant".A garden fork is one of the most basic tools for aerating your lawn, and the advantage is that most gardeners already possess one in their garden sheds.‌However, aerating a lawn with a garden fork can be physically demanding, so it's best suited to smaller lawns.If your soil is heavy clay, opt for a hollow tine aerator rather than a garden fork. As the name implies, this tool features hollow tines rather than the solid tines found on a garden fork.When pushed into the ground, the tines fill with soil, and upon removing the aerator, these plugs are extracted, leaving small holes that are far less likely to close.Article continues belowA dense, healthy lawn is your best defence against weeds. When grass grows thick, weeds have less opportunity to take hold and struggle to compete for space.When weedkiller is applied to a lawn, those same spots often see weeds returning. This is down to the grass being sparse in those areas, as weeds tend to thrive where there is little competition.If your lawn is particularly thin or has large bare patches, combine your aeration with overseeding. Grass seed thrives on soil contact and generally establishes more successfully after aeration.