05/13/2026
We love to say that "To err is human." Yes, we make mistakes. But I think one of the best things about humans is our ability to correct those mistakes.
Let's talk about No Mow May.
It seemed like a great idea. It's easy to remember, it's cute, it's catchy. It's something simple we could all do easily to help the environment. When it started to catch on, though, ecologists started to realize that it was not a good idea after all. In fact, it was a REALLY BAD IDEA.
We thought we'd provide forage for bees and butterflies waking up in spring, but what we got was a few nutrient-poor w**ds and desperate bees. Since the vast majority of us have nothing but junk in our lawns, we also got an unwanted lesson in cultivating invasive species.
Even worse, the bees and butterflies and other critters decided that our unmowed lawns were safe places. They thought they could move in, build nests, lay eggs, and raise their young. What they got was a death sentence as soon as we decided it was time to mow. When the survival of your species revolves around a seasonal cycle, you don't get to just start over, even if you were able to escape the mower.
So what can we do?
Plant natives that bloom early. Here that means wild plum, silver maple, violets, Dutchman's breeches, all the spring ephemerals. The native creatures evolved with these plant species, and those plants provide the nutritious food they need, when they need it.
Consider replacing some (or all!) of your lawn with native garden beds, or a native no/low-mow lawn.
When cleaning up garden beds in spring, cut stalks and drop them right where they are. Leave the leaves there too, even if you have to spread them out a little. They make great mulch, keep the nutrients in the soil, and provide habitat for myriad species.
So go mow your lawn while the bumblebee queens still have time to find a new nesting site. And think about making it smaller next year.
