#DIYLove – Lawn Mowing
#DIYLove – Lawn Mowing
“Have you ever participated in No Mow May? Wondering if postponing this chore for a few more weeks will really help wildlife?
Skipping May mowing lets some flowers spring up among the turfgrass, providing an early-season source of nectar. This is great for “generalist” pollinators that aren’t too specific about what species of flowers they feed from, like the bicoloured sweat bee.
But as an In the Zone gardener, you might have guessed that there are even better ways to help pollinators and other wildlife. That’s because the flowers most likely to crop up during No Mow May, like dandelions and clover, are not native to North America — and what many wildlife species really need are native plants.
Since native plants evolved in your local area over thousands of years, growing them re-establishes ancient relationships with the native pollinators that evolved alongside them, providing the food that these species have come to depend on.
By all means, leave your mower stored away for now, especially if it’s a gas mower, since this will reduce your carbon emissions, too! But even better, consider replacing part of your lawn with native plants (or MORE native plants)
Once you do start mowing, it’s a good idea to raise the blades and keep your lawn at least eight centimetres long, and to wait at least two weeks in between mowings — not just in May, but throughout the spring, summer and fall.”
To read more about the “In The Zone” Gardening Initiative by WWF, click here.
