No Mow May is well underway

The idea quickly gained traction across North America, with a growing number of cities joining the movement. Several have enforced ordinances, while others simply encourage residents to participate. 

According to Bee City USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, lawns cover 40 million acres (or 2%) of land in the U.S., making them the single largest irrigated crop we grow. Lawns are mowed, raked, fertilized, weeded, chemically treated and watered - sucking up time, money and other resources. Lawns provide little benefit to wildlife and are often harmful. Grass-only lawns lack floral resources and nesting sites for bees and are often treated with pesticides that harm bees and other invertebrates. Habitat loss includes acres of manicured lawn are as much a loss of habitat as any development site.

The start of the growing season is a critical time for hungry, newly emerged native bees. Floral resources may be hard to find, especially in urban and suburban landscapes. By allowing it to grow longer, and letting flowers bloom, your lawn can provide nectar and pollen to help your bee neighbors thrive. Mowing less creates habitat and can increase the abundance and diversity of wildlife including bees and other pollinators. 

Flowers you can commonly see blooming in lawns in May include dandelions, white clover and creeping charlie. While many people view these flowers as weeds, some pollinators view them as food.

Several studies by the University of Minnesota illustrate how reducing the frequency of mowing benefits bees, as well as butterflies, grasshoppers and many other insects. Meta-analysis that  looked at results of studies from Europe and North America found a significant increase in the abundance of butterflies and bees in less-frequently mowed lawns, and that increased mowing intensity resulted in a significant negative effect on plant diversity and insect diversity. 

Some studies also indicate that less intense mowing practices lead to fewer pests, as well as potential cost savings of up to 36% for park managers by reducing mowing frequency from 15 to 10 times per year. 

Mowing Tips

If you choose to participate in No Mow May, here are a few tips for mowing long grass at the end of the month. Start by adjusting the grass height to a more manageable length, change the mower setting by reducing the height of the blade, before making a second pass.

Do not cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time in a single mowing. For example, if your grass is 6 inches tall, do not remove more than 2 inches of length. This helps prevent root stress and promotes turf vigor. If your grass is really tall, try mowing once during the last week of May and then again before June 4 to avoid stressing your turf grass. 

Friendly reminder, do not mow or blow grass clippings into the street. Grass and leaves in the street can travel with rainwater into city stormwater sewers. Many stormwater facilities flow directly into our local rivers without pretreatment and the added nutrients can cause algal blooms and other detrimental effects. Debris in the street can also be dangerous for drivers, especially motorcycles and bicycles.