Lawn help please!

[ChipInTheSugar]

I've recently moved into rented (so restricted in how drastic I can be in terms of fixing it) but the lawn doesn't look healthy at all. It's growing at best in clumps, and there's a lot of moss. What's the best way to fix this?

It's also covered in seed pods from a neighbour's trees - apart from going outside with my hoover, how can I get these off the grass?

I don't have many 'big' tools, just the usual mower, strimmer, and I think a spring tine rake which works a little on getting the moss up but it's back-breaking work!

Any suggestions gratefully received

Do you have a garden fork? (If not, then you can pick them up very cheaply at car boot sales). Go all over the worst moss-covered bits and push the fork in all the way, then wiggle it about to make holes. This will help with drainage.

After that, get some grass seed, mix it with handfuls of compost and sprinkle it all over the ground between the clumpy bits. Water in.

Then cut the grass regularly, and it should even out a lot over the coming months.

Brilliant - thank you

The mower should pick up the seed pods ok. Sulphate of iron dissolved in hot water ( top up with cold before application) sprinkled on through the rose on a watering can will kill the moss. After a week it'll rake out with the spring tine rake. Scratch up the surface with the rake and sprinkle some seed on. If you can cover the seeded areas with soil, it'll do better.