As of: February 15, 2024, 9:20 a.m
By: Joana Lück
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When it gets longer outside and you spend more time in the garden, your first reflex is to reach for the lawnmower.
But it's better to wait for that.
Even though the temptation is great, you shouldn't mow the lawn too early to give the insects, especially the beneficial ones, the opportunity to develop.
If the lawn is mowed too early, before the insects have a chance to reproduce, entire populations can be affected.
Here are some reasons why mowing the lawn early can support insects and therefore the ecosystem.
That's why you should wait before mowing
You shouldn't use a lawnmower too early in spring.
© Kate Utro/Imago
Flowering Plants
: Many “weeds” that grow in lawns are actually flowers, which are of great importance to pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies.
Mowing the lawn too early, before these plants have a chance to bloom, deprives the insects of this important food source.
Early bloomers are also important plants.
Larval habitat
: Some insects lay their eggs in the grass or use it as a hiding place for their larvae.
If the lawn is mowed too early, these habitats are destroyed, reducing the insects' chances of survival.
Food Chain
: Insects play an important role in the food chain.
When their populations are decimated due to mowing lawns too early, it can have a negative impact on animals that depend on them, such as birds and small mammals.
Soil quality
: An unmowed lawn also provides habitat for various soil organisms that are important for soil quality.
If the lawn is mowed regularly, this habitat is disturbed, which can have a long-term negative impact on the soil structure and health.
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No Mow May
“No Mow May” is an initiative that calls for not mowing the lawn in May to promote biodiversity and create habitat and food sources for insects.
This movement originated in Britain but has now gained global support.
To support insects, it is therefore advisable to mow the lawn later in the spring, after the insects have had a chance to develop and reproduce.
You can also deliberately leave certain areas in the garden wild to provide the insects with additional living space and food.
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at her own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.