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Apr 01, 2023

What's the Deal With 'No Mow May' & Why You Should Care

I'm not saying that this is the whole reason some lawns in Sioux Falls are

I'm not saying that this is the whole reason some lawns in Sioux Falls are looking shaggier than others, but it could be part of the reason. For me, it is the reason I haven't asked my lawn mower guy, Brian, to come over yet.

I'm trying to give the bees a fighting chance this spring. I also have avoided getting out the weed killer yet. Why does any of this matter?

According to Consumer Reports, It is a movement that began about 4 years ago in the United Kingdom. People took the month of May off when it came to mowing. The reasoning behind it is to give pollinators, in particular, bees, a chance to thrive early in the spring, on small flowering plants.

According to an entomology researcher at the University of Minnesota, Elaine Evans, numerous bee species come out of hibernation early in the spring, and not mowing, or simply mowing higher helps to set those pollinators up for success.

About 20 percent of bumble bee species are in decline. Several are near extinction due to a number of environmental factors related to us humans.

Go ahead and mow, just mow higher or mow less frequently, that way you can keep your yard still looking nice. You'll even be helping some flowering plants like white clover to flower again. This will give our all-important pollinators like bees and hummingbirds a running start on the growing season.

Mowing higher through the month of July actually helps make your grassroots grow stronger and really helps when drier weather moves in mid-summer.

To get even more information on how you can participate in this program, and why you should just check out Consumer Reports.

Source: Consumer Reports