May is right around the corner, so to mow or not to mow? The “No Mow May” movement has gained significant steam after being started in 2019 over in the United Kingdom to protect pollinators. The intention behind the movement is noble — to allow flowers and weeds to bloom in your lawn so pollinator species have access to pollen early in the season. On the surface, it seems like a good idea. However, it may not be all that beneficial to pollinators, and could be detrimental to your lawn. Fortunately, there are other practices you can add to your green space to benefit pollinators.
When pollinators emerge from hibernation in the spring, food (pollen) sources tend to be limited, especially in urban and suburban environments. In theory, by letting your lawn grow there will inevitably be some weeds that flower during that time, such as creeping Charlie, clover, wild violet and dandelions. The most common flower I see driving around are dandelions, which according to studies do not provide adequate nutrition for pollinators. Some of the other flowers can provide higher quality pollen, but the grass and weeds can quickly become overgrown, shading out any flowers. Shaded and damp areas like in an overgrown lawn can be susceptible to fungal diseases.
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Letting your grass and weeds overgrow for a month is also not the healthiest thing you can do for your lawn. The weeds and potential invasives that were able to establish will not just go away after mowing. Many weeds are prolific and can handle disturbance after establishment. They also tend to produce thousands of seeds per plant. This can create quite a headache when you try and keep your lawn manicured for the rest of the summer.
When mowing your lawn, many turfgrass specialists recommend only cutting a third of the height of the grass at a time. If you let grass get over 12 inches tall or more, there are no mowers out there that can raise to a height of 8-plus inches. More often than not, the grass will be mowed to a height of 2 to 4 inches. Cutting this much biomass off grass can have negative effects on the grass’s health. This can reduce its vigor and slow the development of roots. There is also a chance you’ll mow the bugs that have been using your lawn as protection and a pollen source. Also, it will not be very fun to manage the huge amount of grass clippings created.
Fortunately, there are other methods to protect pollinators without risking a violation from the town for an unkempt lawn. You can consider dedicating part of your lawn space to become a pollinator garden. If planned properly, this garden can have a variety of plants to provide pollen and protection from spring to fall. When purchasing plants, select a variety that will bloom throughout the season and are native to your area. If you choose to purchase a pollinator seed mix, double-check that the seeds are native. Non-native plants can still provide benefits, but be cautious that pollinators may not be adapted to gather pollen from non-native plants. Although this benefits the plant, the pollinator does not get the needed nutrition from the nectar. Contact your local Cornell Cooperative Extension for assistance in selecting plants.
There is also the option of converting your lawn to a pollinator lawn. Pollinator lawns are a mix of short (in height) growing flowers and grasses. Pollinator lawns still require mowing, just less frequently than a typical turfgrass lawn. Pollinator lawns also don’t handle the foot traffic that a traditional lawn can sustain. To learn more about pollinator lawns, there is a great video on the New York State Integrated Pest Management YouTube channel titled, “Lawn alternatives | 2022 Year in Review 1/6/23."
If you were thinking about participating in "No Mow May," it’s great you have concern for pollinators, but there may be better options. Consider creating pollinator gardens around your house or converting your lawn into a pollinator lawn. If you are interested in learning more, reach out to your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office. The Master Garden program through Cornell is also another great resource.
Frank Clarke is an agricultural environmental sustainability educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County. He can be reached at fc357@cornell.edu or (315) 255-1183.