As No Mow May launches, a new poll reveals that people are deciding to leave their mowers in the shed for longer.
Plantlife's campaign to raise awareness of the benefits to wildlife of longer lawns encourages people to mow less and later. A new poll, with results released today show that 46 per cent of respondents aim to mow no more than once over the course of May.
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Thirty three per cent said they will aim to mow once a fortnight or once every three weeks in May. Only three per cent of people said they would be planning on mowing their lawn more than once a week.
The poll demonstrates how that more gardeners are realising that wild plants and longer lawns can support wildlife. Almost three quarters (73 per cent) of people now believe leaving lawns unmown for a month or more helps butterflies, bees and other wildlife. While 84 per cent of respondents consider it important to look after the environment and support conservation efforts.
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Sarah Shuttleworth, senior ecological advisor at Plantlife, said: “No Mow May matters massively because leaving lawns to just let it be(e) in May allows a wonderful array of wild plants to flower and flourish. This floral diversity provided by more relaxed mowing regimes provides a rich food source for a wealth of wildlife through the summer. Hang on a mo!”
Many councils are also adjusting their approach to mowing, reducing their activity on roadside verges and public lawns.
The split on lawn mowing has also revealed that men intend to mow more frequently than women: 5 per cent of men indicated they will be mowing more than once a week this May compared with only 2 per cent of women. This was mirrored by intention to mow weekly: 20 per cent of men, compared with 15 per cent of women. Overall, 70 per cent of women indicated they will definitely or possibly participate in No Mow May in 2024, compared to 64 per cent of men.
Plantlife's No Mow May campaign was set up in the face of the alarming statistic that approximately 97 per cent of wildflower meadows have been eradicated in less than a century. With an estimated 23 million gardens in the UK, the potential for better managed grassland habitat – even if it’s just a small patch of lawn – is immense.
The No Mow May campaign encourages people to leave their mowers in the shed for the whole of May and leave their lawns unmown, but it encourages regular lawn care throughout the year, and does not necessarily suggest not cutting lawns at all. Leaving an area of long area of grass can be hugely beneficial to wildlife. Setting your mower at a higher height can also be beneficial. Here's more tips on why No Mow May doesn't necessarily mean messy lawns.
A study published this month showed that leaving areas of grass long can increase your garden butterflies by 93 per cent.
Plantlife also encourages people to
- Avoid using herbicides or fertilisers as these are both detrimental to many wild plants.
- Avoid using moss killer – lawn moss can help some wild plants establish.
- Allow plants time to set seed before mowing so they spread naturally.
- When you do mow remove grass cuttings to prevent nutrient build-up on lawns which will encourage some species, but be to the detriment of the majority of wild plants.
Here's more about Now Mow May
