Northern Amber Bumble Bee by @wanderingeden on iNaturalist
No Mow May is an annual call to lawn owners to refrain from mowing for the entire month in order to support pollinators like bees and butterflies. But is it really the delightfully lazy, green win it’s advertised to be?
It may come as no surprise that we Americans like our lawns. In fact there is an estimated 40 million acres or more of turf grass (lawns, golf courses, etc.) in the United States. This is roughly equal to the size of Florida, all of it free of native flowers and often soaked in synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
Given that, not mowing our lawns for a month is definitely a step toward a better cultural mindset. Not only does not mowing in the early spring allow time for insects to emerge safely from overwintering, but it provides habitat and food for spring pollinators. It also invites a conversation and maybe even a mindset shift about why we mow, and how necessary it is in our lives. It can be the spark that drives more curiosity and interest in the flora and fauna that our “wilder” yard attracts.
The term “No Mow May” seems to imply that helping our pollinators is as simple as that: not mowing. But there are two drawbacks.
First, you’re inviting insects to safely emerge and find food in your yard, only to mow it all away a few short weeks later when they still really need it.
Second, not mowing allows everything to grow, which can increase the amount of non-native or invasive plants that are able to flourish in the lawn, especially without careful management.
Finally, we’ve heard of a concern that pests like ticks may become more prominent in taller grass yards. Fortunately, that fear is unfounded. A study done here at VCE by our conservation biologist Jason Hill found there was no relation between tick density and mowed grass height. In fact, several lawn owners who participated in the study also participated in No Mow May.
Eastern Black-legged Tick by Fen Levy. People fear that if they don’t mow in May, it will increase the number of ticks, but our research doesn’t show that.
The study didn’t include not mowing all year or meadows, so we can’t speak to that. But if you plan to mow your lawn at the end of May, you likely don’t have to worry about an increased presence of ticks.
So, to Mow or Not to Mow?
Here are some tips that can help you decide what route might be best for you.
First, if you choose not to mow for the month (or for longer), pay attention to native plants that might begin to grow and mow around them at the end of the month. Many people would be surprised that a lot of native plants people spend good money for at the nursery are available right in your yard, given the chance to grow! But be vigilant about what is growing before it gets too out of hand. Some non-native species can be very aggressive or invasive, so you want to nip those in the bud (ahem) as soon as you identify them.
Mowing can be an effective management (if not eradication) tool for invasives like Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)
a.k.a. Bishop’s Weed or Ground-Elder. Photo by @flaskehrlenmeyer on iNaturalist
If you can’t stand the idea of leaving your entire yard unmowed, consider just leaving sections unmowed. Shrinking your lawn over time will make it easier to manage the growth of unwanted plants.
When you do mow, leave the mower deck around 4” to allow low growing flowering plants like strawberries, violets, and clover to continue to bloom.
For those who want to take a step even further, plant a “bee lawn” with low growing flowering native plants like selfheal, violet, and fragaria. Consider transforming a portion of your lawn into a pollinator garden or meadow that can be a benefit to insects (and birds) year round.
No Mow May is just the beginning! Pollinators need varied habitats, so leave bare patches of soil or sand for ground nesting bees. In the fall, leave woody hollow stems and sticks for insects to nest and hibernate in, and leave the leaf litter and detritus for bees, caterpillars, and other insects to overwinter safely in.
Biodiversity likes a mess, even if we don’t!
