More Wisconsin communities are participating in No Mow May. Does it actually work?
At the end of May, some yards across Wisconsin will be overgrown with wildflowers and other plants.
It's all in an effort to help provide a healthy habitat for pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and other insects. No Mow May is a campaign that encourages people to refrain from mowing their lawns during May. Cutting grass destroys wildflowers and plants, which provide a vital source of nectar and pollen to pollinators, argue experts like Israel Del Toro and Relena Ribbons, both assistant professors at Lawrence University.
Participants aren't fined for any tall grass during the month. Some municipalities, like Milwaukee, require participants to register prior to a complaint being submitted for the property. Participation is voluntary.
Over the past three years, the campaign has grown in popularity across the state. More than 20 municipalities in Wisconsin have adopted No Mow May, including Wausau, Appleton, Stevens Point, Oshkosh, Green Bay, Wisconsin Rapids and La Crosse, among others.
But the campaign has not gone without controversy and has its detractors. Here's what you need to know about the issue.
Do pollinators actually benefit from an unmowed lawn?
Sometimes. It depends on the lawn, say experts from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Lawns with turfgrass don't provide as many resources for pollinators compared with a yard containing an abundance of low growing flowering plants. Adding more flowering plants, shrubs and trees to your yard can increase benefits to pollinators.
Reducing or eliminating any pesticides in your yard will also benefit pollinators, according to UW-Madison.
It's important to explore different options to help pollinators, recognizing that not everyone can simply stop mowing their yard, especially if they have pets, said Ribbons. "There's no perfect lawn. What works for you?" she said.
The study showing the benefits of No Mow May has been retracted. Why?
Earlier this spring, an Appleton Common Council member introduced a resolution, which was later rejected, to nix the program, citing that the scientific evidence for the effort was defunct. Professors Del Toro and Ribbons did retract their study for potential inconsistencies in the data, and will resubmit it later this year.
Issues with the data aren't going to impact the overall conclusion of the study, Ribbons told the Journal Sentinel. No Mow May benefits pollinators, she said, and it's here to stay.
How should you cut your lawn after No Mow May is over?
If you let your lawn go unmowed and then mow more than one-third of the height at once, it can be stressful for both plants and your lawnmower, according to UW-Madison.
Instead, adjust your mower to the highest setting and make the first pass to reduce the grass height. Continue to gradually reduce the height of the blade before mowing the lawn. Do not cut more than a third of the grass blade at a single time.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin communities participate in No Mow May; does it benefit bees?
