No Mow May is a campaign that encourages people to let their lawns grow wild for a month without mowing, watering, or fertilizing. The idea is to help wildflowers and pollinators thrive, as well as to save time, money, and energy. Here are some of the benefits of joining No Mow May:
- You’ll get some beneficial spring color. By not mowing your lawn in May, you’ll allow some flowers to bloom that you would otherwise miss, such as dandelions, clover, and violets. These flowers can add some diversity and beauty to your lawn, as well as provide nectar and pollen for bees and other insects. Dandelions also have deep taproots that can loosen hard-packed soil and bring up nutrients for other plants.
- You’ll help bees and other pollinators. Bees are essential for pollinating many crops and plants, but they are facing a steep decline due to habitat loss, pesticides, diseases, and climate change. By letting your lawn grow in May, you’ll provide them with an early-season boost of food and shelter when they need it most. A 2019 survey by Plantlife found that 80% of lawns taking part in No Mow May supported about 400 bees each day!
- You’ll create less pollution. By not using your lawn mower for a month, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint and save gas. Lawn mowers use gasoline, which contributes to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Another benefit of No Mow May is avoiding the use of fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides for the month. These chemicals can harm the soil, water, wildlife, and human health. Pesticides in particular have been linked to bee colony collapse.
- You’ll save time and money. Mowing your lawn can be a time-consuming and costly chore. By skipping it for a month, you’ll free up some hours to relax or do other things you enjoy. You’ll also save money on gas, maintenance, and lawn care products.
- You’ll make your lawn more resilient. By letting your grass grow longer, you’ll help it develop deeper roots and retain more moisture. This will make your lawn more resistant to drought, heat, and pests. You’ll also increase the biodiversity of your lawn by allowing different species of plants and animals to coexist.
- You’ll attract more wildlife. By creating a mini-meadow in your lawn, you’ll invite more birds, butterflies, beetles, worms, and other creatures to visit your yard. These animals can help with pest control, soil health, and pollination. You’ll also enjoy watching their behavior and learning more about nature.
- You’ll help farmers and increase crop yields. A surprising benefit of No Mow May is how much it can help farmers and increase crop yields. This is because nearby wildflowers will attract more pollinators to farms and vegetable gardens as well. This means that flowering crops such as fruit trees, tomatoes, squash, or cucumbers will produce more fruit.
As you can see, there are many benefits of joining No Mow May. Whether you choose to let your whole lawn grow wild or just a small patch, you’ll be doing something good for yourself, your lawn, the environment, and the planet.
