Lawn mowers are used again in spring. For a long time, a lush green and short-trimmed lawn was considered the perfect garden. But this May, more attention should be paid to the actual benefits of a well-growing lawn for nature.

We’ll tell you why you can laze around with a clear conscience and why it’s better to leave the lawnmower in the shed.

No Mow May: Why you should let your lawn grow in May

The No Mow May, in German the mow-free May, has its origins in Great Britain. There has long been a trend there not to mow your lawn in May. This trend is now becoming increasingly popular in Germany.

One reason to let your lawn grow in May is the invigorating springtime. The flowers begin to bloom and numerous animal species wake up from their hibernation. A long lawn is particularly important for some insects because it offers them protection. Mowed lawns are particularly vulnerable to insects that protect themselves from the cold and hide from predators.

Furthermore, the No Mow May gives nectar-rich flowers and wild herbs the opportunity to multiply. Insects help pollinate plants, which helps preserve native biodiversity. This creates an additional food source for insects, a win-win situation for flora and fauna.

Not only dandelions, daisies and other wild plants benefit from the pollination work of insects. It can also benefit humans. Insects can play a part in a successful garden harvest of apples and cherries, for example.

Three easy ways to make your lawn more sustainable and animal friendly

This year, not only the mow-free May is a popular garden trend. In order to do something good for the important insects in the garden, more and more value is being placed on maintaining an animal-friendly and sustainable garden.

1. Pesticides are an absolute no-no if you want to make your lawn eco-friendly. Pesticides can be harmful to animals, humans and plants. To fight weeds in the garden, for example, a simple variant is often used. Instead of pesticides, for which one should collect sufficient information before use, there are more environmentally friendly alternatives. Weeds can be removed by hand or using certain garden tools. In order to maintain the biological diversity in your garden, you should therefore avoid using pesticides and use a more sustainable alternative.

2. Not mowing your lawn in May and even beyond the merry month is certainly not that easy for many people. Instead of mowing the whole lawn, you could just save a small area. The insects can only look for shelter and food sources in the smaller area, which is better than having no place at all. Over time, you may get used to the longer lawn and mow less and less over time.

3. The last option we present to you for a pet-friendly garden is wildflowers. These represent an important source of food for all kinds of useful insects. Maintaining a so-called English lawn, i.e. a lawn that has been mowed short, can be exhausting. A few wild flowers at the edge of the garden provide the necessary relaxing variety. Bumblebees, insects, butterflies and bees are attracted to the wildflowers, filling the garden with color and biodiversity.