One of the recent trends to help pollinators thrive is called “No Mow May.” The idea is to not mow your lawn in May and let the weeds, which may be wildflowers, too, sprout up and bloom. This will provide pollinators with the pollen and nectar they need. Since lawns make up 40 million acres of our landscape, this could really make a difference.
Although I want to help pollinators, too, I'm not a big proponent of “No Mow May.” Certainly May is a busy month for pollinators and they need all the help they can get. While many lawns have non-grass weeds in them, those weeds may not have the best flowers for pollinators.
Also, what happens after May 31st? If everyone goes back to mowing their lawns as they usually do, all that potential pollinator food is lost.
For an everlasting, positive benefit to our pollinators I would rather see homeowners dedicate a patch of their yard to wildflowers. It may be a small area on the side yard or in the back yard that doesn't get used much anyway. Ideally, it would be in full sun to grow the most variety of pollinator plants. Prepare this area like a garden bed, and seed pollinator friendly annuals, biennials and perennials. Once established, your pollinator garden should thrive on its own and only need a mowing in late fall to prevent woody plants from invading.
Also, over seed your lawn with white clover and mow at least 3 inches tall to not cut off the clover flowers. This will provide another great source of food for pollinators.
