On the eve of #NoMowMay (and beyond!) here’s a little thread on why both mowing AND not mowing different parts of your lawn can be brilliant for wildlife. Sounds perverse? It’s all about long-grass and short-grass, and why you want both… 
Long-grass: Leaving a lawn unmown from spring onwards allows many tall meadow plants like oxeye daisy, meadow buttercup & knapweed to flower. These provide nectar & pollen for a wide range of pollinators & exceptional habitat for insects that feed & shelter in tall vegetation…
Long-grass areas are best left unmown for as long as possible - September to November - before being cut. This allows plants to seed and insects to prepare for winter. Ideally, leave a few patches completely unmown until spring. Wildlife will love it!
But these long grass areas DO require cutting in autumn to keep their plant diversity. If you don’t, the thick vegetation prevents more flowers from germinating in autumn and spring. Total no-mow is a no-no: you’ll loose plant species rapidly.
Short-grass: If you mow parts of your lawn on a high setting once every 3-4 weeks, you can develop a short sward that’s rich in other plants, especially white clover, selfheal, bird’s-foot-trefoil, daisies & dandelions. These all produce phenomenal amounts of nectar and pollen…
Mowing the lawn on a high setting cuts off the flowers & stimulates the production of yet more flowers. The plants are adapted to this short-grass habitat & thrive in it. It’s like a continuous nectar factory for bees & other pollinators, and the bonanza can go on for months.
Short-grass is great for wildlife in other ways, providing access to the soil for ground-nesting bees and foraging birds, as well as different habitats for ants, beetles and mammals.
And this is the key point. Having areas of BOTH long and short grass maximises biodiversity in your garden. Long grass attracts some species, short grass attracts others. Having both is best.
This is good news for us gardeners too as it means we can keep paths & borders around long grass areas if we want. So, enjoy #NoMowMay but keep going through spring & summer with long & short grass areas to create a real haven for wildlife. For more, see plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomo…
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