The dandelion, as a lawn weed, has much to offer.

The dandelion, as a lawn weed, has much to offer.

I suspect that most people have heard or read somewhere that this is No Mow May. The idea of a No Mow May was first promoted in England in 2019 and a year later the concept took root in the U.S. in Appleton, Wis., as a strategy to counter a decline in bee populations. This is of serious concern since it’s estimated that 75 percent of the world’s food crops and 35 percent of global agricultural land depend on bees and other pollinators. By forgoing mowing not only does the grass grow but so do other plants, many of which most people view as weeds.

There was a time many years ago when my lawn maintenance goal was to achieve a look comparable to that of centerfield at Fenway Park. Though I never applied herbicides, I did dig out dandelions and plantains, and made annual applications of turf grass fertilizer. It was all futile. Our lawn never achieved the Fenway look and I also began to enjoy the violets, clover, bluets, and a myriad of other flowering “weeds”.

For those who may be self-conscious about being perceived as being neglectful or lazy due to a lack of lawn maintenance, No Mow does not mean No Mow Forever. In studies conducted by USDA Forest Service scientists just down the Pike in Springfield, it was found that mowing a lawn once every two weeks actually boosted the bee population. This was largely due to the growth of dandelions, clover, violets, and other plants that many perceive as “weeds” when found in their lawn. On the other hand, while mowing every three weeks did more than double the number of flowers available in lawns and increased bee diversity, the overall bee abundance was lower compared to the every-other-week strategy.

There are some other advantages to reducing the frequency of mowing. Some of the “weeds” contribute to soil health. Dandelions, for one, have deep taproots which help reduce soil compaction, aerate the soil, and absorb many nutrients that ultimately become available to the grass plants.

Other healthy lawn maintenance practices include avoiding cutting the grass too low, so-called scalping. For most lawn grass species, the ideal cutting height is 3 inches. Also, leave the clippings in place after mowing. The clippings are rich in nitrogen. On the other hand, if the clippings are piling up on the lawn and potentially suffocating the grass, rake up the clippings and add them to the compost pile.

While the grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, yours may be healthier for the environment and the bee population if it has a palette of color.

Spongy moth (formerly called gypsy moth) caterpillars have hatched and will be climbing their way up trees to feed on the foliage. Scrape off into a bucket of soapy water as many as possible while they are still within reach.

Here are a few tasks to fill in the spare time created by less frequent mowing:

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