You've Heard of No-Mow May — Try a Bee Lawn Instead! Maybe you have heard of «No-Mow May», but learn about the long-term benefits of installing a bee lawn from conservation expert, James Wolfin. Is “No-Mow May” a good idea?
The goal of the No-Mow May movement is to let your lawn and flowering plants grow in spring to provide early-season forage for pollinators. But when May is over and it’s time to mow again, it can be a bit of a shock to your turfgrass, and those habitats you’ve created vanish overnight.
Whether or not you plant a bee lawn, making a few changes to your lawn maintenance program can still help pollinators throughout the year instead of just in May. James Wolfin, conservation specialist for Twin City Seed, advocates for “slow-mow summer.” Let your turfgrass grow up to 6 inches tall before you cut a third of it off. Why is this a good idea? It allows flowering plants mixed into your lawn to bloom and feed pollinators. If the flowering plants in your lawn are invasive reseeders, such as dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), you may just want to make sure that you mow as many as you can before they go to seed.
The buzz about bee lawnsIt’s no secret that bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects need our help. Garden enthusiasts have been rolling up their sleeves planting pollinator gardens and weaving native plants into their landscapes to throw these crucial critters a lifeline. But have you ever thought about taking it up a notch and swapping your regular turfgrass lawn for a bee-friendly version? It’s like giving bees and pollinators their very own welcome mat!
As a Minnesota conservation specialist, James is all too happy to enlighten others about the many benefits of bee lawns. And his knowledge
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