Your garden benefits Why you shouldn't mow your lawn in May
It's better to leave the lawn mower in the shed in May. The "No Mow May" campaign shows: Leaving grass, clover, dandelions and daisies to grow helps insects, protects small animals - and makes the garden more resistant to drought.
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- If you don't mow in May, you allow wild plants to bloom and create food for bees, butterflies and other insects.
- Longer grass protects the soil better from drought and offers small animals important refuges.
- Individual wild corners or flowering islands also help if the whole garden is not to remain unmown.
After decades of perfectly trimmed gardens, doing nothing is experiencing a boom. The so-called "mow-free May" calls on people to leave the lawnmower behind for a few weeks - and thus give something back to nature.
What at first glance looks like an overgrown garden actually has a surprising number of benefits: for insects, for the soil and even for garden owners themselves.
Your garden suddenly becomes a paradise for insects
A neatly trimmed lawn may look tidy, but it is practically worthless for many animals. As soon as clover, dandelions or daisies are allowed to grow, the ecosystem in the garden changes immediately. Bees, bumblebees and butterflies suddenly find food where previously there were only short stalks.
This is particularly important in spring. Many insects come out of winter weakened and are urgently dependent on flowers. Because natural meadows are becoming increasingly rare in cities and settlements, private gardens are gaining enormously in importance.
The effect is greater than many people think. Even small unmown areas can help to promote biodiversity. So if you don't want to let the whole garden run wild, you can make a difference with just a few wild corners.
Less mowing means less stress for animals
Every pass of the mower destroys habitat. Caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers and amphibians hide in the tall grass. If the areas are cut regularly, these animals lose shelter and food.
Robotic mowers are particularly problematic. They often operate at night and have difficulty recognizing small animals. Hedgehogs in particular are considered endangered because they do not flee when threatened but curl up in a ball. For many, this is fatal.
Mowing less therefore not only protects insects, but also the entire small ecosystem in the garden. At the same time, you create a more natural garden that looks much livelier than a perfectly shorn "English" lawn.
Your lawn will be more resistant to heat and drought
Longer grass retains more moisture and protects the soil better from direct sunlight. This can be crucial, especially in hot summers. While short-cropped areas dry out quickly and turn yellow, taller grass often stays green for longer.
What's more, constant mowing forces the lawn to grow again. This costs water and energy. Less mowing therefore often means less watering.
With climate change, this point is becoming increasingly important. Many garden owners are already noticing that the classic ornamental lawn is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain in midsummer. A somewhat wilder garden often copes much better with these conditions.
You save time, energy and nerves
A well-kept lawn is a lot of work. Mowing, scarifying, fertilizing, watering - dozens of tasks quickly add up over the season. If you take a break in May, you not only save energy, but also a surprising amount of time.
And then there's the noise. Especially on warm spring weekends, lawn mowers or trimmers are constantly running in many neighborhoods. A mowing-free May therefore often brings more peace and quiet to the neighborhood.
And last but not least, the view of your own garden often changes. Instead of perfect order, the focus is suddenly back on nature. Many people only then discover how many flowers, herbs and animals are actually already present in their own lawn.
