Spring is here, sunnier weather has returned and gardeners are once again rushing outside to enjoy their gardens and green spaces – but if you’re thinking of cutting your lawn you should get to it now, before a “freeze” on May mowing. But one thing you may have noticed in the time you’ve been away is how scruffy, unkempt, patchy and wild your lawn has become.
While lawns enter a sort of stasis in winter, with little growth, deluged by excess rainfall, buried by snow and covered in leaves, at this time of year, our grass rebounds and starts to grow quickly. In fact, in a matter of weeks in March and April, lawns can suddenly become long and unruly, which can actually lead to weak growth in future if left too long. But gardeners are being told they need to get the lawnmower out before May, because that’s when mowing the lawn is heavily discouraged by campaigns like No Mow May which tell gardeners to put a pause on their mowing for at least a month.
No Mow May has become wildly popular in the past few years as more and more people become more conscious of the impact of mowing on wildlife and nature. May is a vital time for pollinators, which feed on, hide in, and breed on, long grass, as well as wild flowers and even dandelions, in our lawns.
Insect numbers are down by as much as 60% in the past 20 years according to research, and this has partly been driven by climate change, loss of habitat and changes in lifestyle like more heavy mowing which has reduced the availability of food for insects.
Now, gardeners wanting their lawn to look its best are being urged to act before May and get their spring mow in in April.
The Royal Horticultural Society says: “In spring and autumn: with a conventional lawn, mow once a fortnight or once a week, depending on growth.
“For a flower-rich lawn or wildflower meadow, leave uncut in spring to provide much-needed support to pollinators and a welcome break from mowing.”
It added: “For the first mow in spring or when cutting long grass, choose the highest blade setting, to avoid choking the mower with clippings. If the grass is really long, you may need to strim it first to reduce the overall height, then rake up the cut grass, before going over with the mower to tidy up as best you can. It can often look a bit scruffy and yellow, but will soon green up and look neater with more regular cuts.”
About No Mow May, the RHS continues: “If you want to encourage wildflowers in your lawn, try No Mow May. As the name suggests, you simply stop mowing in early May, which allows the wild plants already in your lawn to grow up and flower, adding colour and attracting pollinating insects and other wildlife. You can leave your whole lawn uncut or just a section.”
No Mow May is organised by campaign group Plantlife. It says: “No Mow May is Plantlife’s annual campaign urging everyone to pack away the lawnmower, let wildflowers grow freely and help nature. Whether you’re in a city, town or the countryside, it’s super easy to take part.
“No lawn is too small! Even the smallest wild patch can provide vital food needed by bees and butterflies, connecting us with nature and giving nature the best start to summer.”
