# No Mow May



## RadishRose (Apr 24, 2021)

*No* *Mow* *May* is a conservation initiative first popularized by Plantlife, an organization based in the United Kingdom, but which is gaining traction across North America. The goal of *No* *Mow* *May* is to allow grass to grow unmown for the month of *May*, creating habitat and forage for early season pollinators.

https://beecityusa.org/no-mow-may/

https://bluethumb.org/turf-alternatives/pollinator-lawn/

We need our bees !


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## MarciKS (Apr 24, 2021)

i doubt the landlord would do that here


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## ohioboy (Apr 24, 2021)

If you let your grass grow TOO high, you could get a warning or citation.


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## MarciKS (Apr 24, 2021)

that's usually what happens. he mows for us so i'm sure he won't do it. lol!


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## fmdog44 (Apr 24, 2021)

As a due paying member of the Couch Potatoes of the Earth I firmly indorse this movement.


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## Keesha (Apr 24, 2021)

I’ve already mowed some but I’ll stop. I’ll join ‘No  Mow May. It’s a good idea.


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## Lara (Apr 24, 2021)

But it has to be a Bee-Friendly Lawn which
includes Wildflowers, Dandelion, Weeds, and Clover
Love this idea. In fact every other month
But it won't be a pristine lawn of the same species grass
Not if you want to attract bees and save the bee population


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## Shalimar (Apr 24, 2021)

Lara said:


> But it has to be a bee-friendly lawn which
> includes wildflowers, dandelion, weeds, and clover.
> Love this idea. In fact every other month
> But it won't be a pristine lawn of the same species grass
> Not if you want to attract bees and save the bee population


I do this at the lake house. It is dandelion heaven over there at the moment. Too early for clover,  daisies and buttercups. When my bamboo bush flowers, the wild bees come from miles away. Tiny little white flowers, but bee heaven. It has its own piece of lawn which must be mowed regularly, in order to prevent the bush from spreading like mad.


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## RadishRose (Apr 24, 2021)

ohioboy said:


> If you let your grass grow TOO high, you could get a warning or citation.


In one of the links it says many states are* waiving* that.


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## RadishRose (Apr 24, 2021)

Lara said:


> Dandelion, Weeds, and Clover


Those  the most common. Only one month is called for. Anyone can live without a pristine lawn for 31 days.


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## RadishRose (Apr 24, 2021)

The links I posted have answers to many of the questions people may have.


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## Lara (Apr 24, 2021)

But it takes awhile for the weeds to grow, then time for the bees to enjoy, then time to restore the lawn.

I would love to see it work though!


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## Meanderer (Apr 24, 2021)




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## SetWave (Apr 24, 2021)

I like the idea but here in California the grass dries out quickly, especially in the drought, and becomes an intense fire danger.


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## MarciKS (Apr 24, 2021)

you guys certainly don't need a repeat of the past year


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## SetWave (Apr 24, 2021)

And the year before that . . .


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## Don M. (Apr 24, 2021)

Living in a dense forest, I can certainly attest to the value of letting the foliage grow, and how it aids many forms of animal and insect population.  Right now, our entire yard looks like a bed of dandelions and many other weeds....and the forest is full of blooms.  It's been far too wet to do any serious mowing, so I've just been able to mow a bit immediately around the house.  The bees are starting to appear, and the deer are munching all over the place.  When dryer weather arrives, I will keep about an acre around the house trimmed up nicely, and brush hog our walking trail through the woods....and nature can do as it wishes with the rest of the 40 acres.  

The local news says we are about 5 inches ahead of normal rainfall for the year...I just hope some of it saves up for July thru September, when we usually really need it.


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## Jules (Apr 24, 2021)

Our community is pristine.  My comment to a neighbour that we should allow some dandelions grow wasn’t well received.


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## MarciKS (Apr 24, 2021)

They're kind of a nuisance cuz they spread so easy but they're also pretty.


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## ohioboy (Apr 24, 2021)

RadishRose said:


> In one of the links it says many states are* waiving* that.



Cool cucumbers.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Apr 24, 2021)

Sounds good but if we let the weeds go to seed we wouldn't have any grass. I think it is better to mow and keep the weeds at bay rather than use all those chemicals I see people spraying all over their lawns trying to kill weeds as well as bees, birds and worms.


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## Don M. (Apr 25, 2021)

Where we live, it is almost a waste of time trying to grow nice grass in the yard....the first time the wind kicks up, the yard receives a new layer of weed seeds.  So, if it's green, that's all I want.  I do have to spray the gravel driveway every year, or it, too, turns into a weed bed.


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## hollydolly (Apr 25, 2021)

We do it here... this is our little Pixie.. a few days ago.. ..back garden, not front... MY o/h is pedantic about encouraging Bees, and just as pedantic about preventing weeds, and making sure the lawn is lush and green


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## SetWave (Apr 25, 2021)

A good alternative to those nasty and dangerous weed killers is simply spraying with vinegar. Sure it takes a little more work but just how lazy are we???


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## AnnieA (Apr 25, 2021)

I think it would work best in mid March through mid April here for the burbs.   The US has such diverse climates that it it would work best to stagger the timing. Kinda messes with the name, though.   

In the rural South where I live, we're already mowing but no one is bush hogging yet so we have an abundance of foliage for pollinators with three thriving hives on the property to prove it. Bush hogging schedules throughout the summer and an abundance of lush country road, ditch, creek, field and forest edge foliage usually allows pollinators good habitats from February to on through the end of October.

October wildflowers:


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## Elsie (Apr 25, 2021)

After I moved into this downstairs apartment in a 2 story house, (yearrrs ago), I noticed that the small front yard and the much larger backyard had become  blanketed with tall yellow dandelions.  I did not say anything about them to the working farmer landlord.  I did not ask for a lawn mower.  I had a large long strong screwdriver which I used to dig up the dandelions down to their roots.  One by one.  Took me quite a while, but I didn't care, it gave me something to do outside on fresh sunny days.  Once they were gone, grass sprouted up in their place.  And whenever I spotted signs of a dandelion sprouting, I'd dig it up.  There have been times I've wanted to let all new tenants upstairs know, "Our lawns once were covered with dandelions but now don't because I dug 'em all up!  Lol lol.


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## Meanderer (Apr 26, 2021)

I think we all should feel free to do as we like.  Let it bee!


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## Gary O' (Apr 26, 2021)

No Mow May​
I'm in!
Wife has been eyeballing the dandelions
She puts 'em in our salads 
Jus' want no mo' hay

Now, at the cabin?
Bring it
May;



Around May there, a glimpse of terra firma is yearned for


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## horseless carriage (Apr 26, 2021)

Don M. said:


> Living in a dense forest, I can certainly attest to the value of letting the foliage grow, and how it aids many forms of animal and insect population.  Right now, our entire yard looks like a bed of dandelions and many other weeds....and the forest is full of blooms.


That I can empathise with. The New Forest, (it's centuries old but was christened new by William the Conquerer) The New Forest is an absolute riot of bluebells at the moment.


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## Shalimar (Apr 26, 2021)

horseless carriage said:


> That I can empathise with. The New Forest, (it's centuries old but was christened new by William the Conquerer) The New Forest is an absolute riot of bluebells at the moment.
> 
> View attachment 161878


Absolutely stunning.


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## hollydolly (Apr 26, 2021)

horseless carriage said:


> That I can empathise with. The New Forest, (it's centuries old but was christened new by William the Conquerer) The New Forest is an absolute riot of bluebells at the moment.
> 
> View attachment 161878


that reminds me I must pop over to our local Bluebell woods and get some pictures again this year


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## katlupe (May 1, 2021)

Our lawn here has already been mowed and I did take a chance and pick a few dandelions for Rabbit. I used to pick more but due to rabbit hemorrhagic disease among wild rabbits (and domestic rabbits can catch it too) I am not foraging for wild foods for him any longer. I am sad about this and going to see if it is possible to grow dandelions and red clover in pots on my window sill. He loves those so! This picture was taken in 2019.


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## StarSong (May 1, 2021)

No can do the on the no-mow, but we do have flowers, plants, bushes and trees that attract plenty of bees.  No pesticides used anywhere on our property for a couple of decades.  

Great idea for people in parts of the country where no-mow works out well.


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## HoneyNut (May 1, 2021)

The pollinators (and amphibians) in my area have mostly disappeared the past 3 years, I suspect the anti-environmentalist that was in charge of the EPA allowed some really bad stuff to be used.   
I only mow right around the house, a wide path to the big barn, and some narrow paths to other places on the property.  I'm only letting the neighbors graze down one corral, and the hay person has agreed to not cut hay until after ground bird nesting is over.  Though I'm not sure how to know the timing for that, last year after the hay was baled I went out and saw one egg laying out in the pasture, and then a whole month later a pheasant with chicks walked past my back gate.  So I just hope the birds choose one of the uncut corrals or front mini-pasture.  But, that probably isn't a good option either because of the stray cat that is too feral for me to catch.  I love cats but I wish people wouldn't let them run loose.


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## SetWave (May 1, 2021)

I dread seeing the pastures around here mowed down as per fire marshal. If people don't they are fined. While the grass is lush and tall it provides homes to many redwing blackbirds with their beautiful song and shoulders glistening in flight.


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