It’s complicated!

Several times we’ve posted about respecting and following the recommendations for “No Mow May.” We were, therefore, more than a little annoyed when we saw a reference to What not mowing in May could mean for your lawn, guidance from UMN Extension. Today we took time to read (skim through) the whole article for these take-aways:

• The idea of not mowing a lawn during the month of May in order to promote flowers for early season pollinators was first promoted by a research paper that has since been retracted. 
• The lawn folks at UMN talked with the Bee lab folks about pollinators and lawn care 
• If you are interested in promoting pollinators in your lawn year round, we have several resources on planting and maintaining a bee lawn.

Quick facts

• Bee lawns have flowers mixed in with turfgrasses such as fine fescues and Kentucky bluegrass.
• The flowers of a bee lawn provide food (nectar and pollen) for pollinators.
• Bee lawns are environmentally friendly because they are managed using low-input methods that generally use less fertilizer and pesticides.
• Bee lawns can still be used recreationally by your household like a regular lawn.
• A bee lawn can attract over 50 species of native bees.

The folks at the Xerces Society and at Bee City are now referring to No Mow May; No Mow April; and Low Mow Spring. They also note that “Though no organization officially oversees No Mow May, many Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA affiliates choose to participate. And while not mowing in May isn’t right for everyone or every region, the campaign can be a good tool for getting new people involved in pollinator conservation.” 

bee on dame’s rocket

Photo by J. Harrington

I should have suspected that a less work, less thinking, more loafing approach to conservation might be way too good to be true. Turns out it is. If you’ll excuse me now, I have more reading to do. At least that’s less strain inducing than mowing (or blowing snow, for that matter.) I am in favor of pollinator conservation since I like berries, fruits and butterflies [and many other conservation dependent activities like fishing]. For now, I’ll read as I wait for the last of yesterday’s snow to melt. Then the ground has to dry out some before I’ll even think of mowing. Besides, almost everything that passes for lawn around here is still mostly flattened from winter’s snows.

The Tuft of Flowers

Robert Frost - 1874-1963

I went to turn the grass once after one
Who mowed it in the dew before the sun.

The dew was gone that made his blade so keen
Before I came to view the levelled scene.

I looked for him behind an isle of trees;
I listened for his whetstone on the breeze.

But he had gone his way, the grass all mown,
And I must be, as he had been,—alone,

‘As all must be,’ I said within my heart,
‘Whether they work together or apart.’

But as I said it, swift there passed me by
On noiseless wing a ’wildered butterfly,

Seeking with memories grown dim o’er night
Some resting flower of yesterday’s delight.

And once I marked his flight go round and round,
As where some flower lay withering on the ground.

And then he flew as far as eye could see,
And then on tremulous wing came back to me.

I thought of questions that have no reply,
And would have turned to toss the grass to dry;

But he turned first, and led my eye to look
At a tall tuft of flowers beside a brook,

A leaping tongue of bloom the scythe had spared
Beside a reedy brook the scythe had bared.

I left my place to know them by their name, 
Finding them butterfly weed when I came.

The mower in the dew had loved them thus,
By leaving them to flourish, not for us,

Nor yet to draw one thought of ours to him.
But from sheer morning gladness at the brim.

The butterfly and I had lit upon,
Nevertheless, a message from the dawn,

That made me here the wakening birds around,
And hear his long scythe whispering to the ground,

And feel a spirit kindred to my own;
So that henceforth I worked no more alone;

But glad with him, I worked as with his aid,
And weary, sought at noon with him the shade;

And dreaming, as it were, held brotherly speech
With one whose thought I had not hoped to reach.

‘Men work together.’ I told him from the heart,
‘Whether they work together or apart.’

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