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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Try new lawn care habits to help natural species
Rachel Maker
May. 14, 2022 6:00 am
There is a movement growing in popularity and spreading like the weeds we've been taught to clear. It's called “No Mow May.” It's simple: don't mow or chemically treat your lawn for the month of May, and any fall leaves that remain in your yard should stay!
We know that a groomed and chemically treated lawn doesn't support pollinators like a lawn grown wild. There is a shift happening right now — thousands of Midwest residents are skipping the mow and letting native species grow. Many are redefining what a kept yard looks like: It's a variety in plant species, it's leaving your leaves on the ground for pollinators to live in and letting those leaves breakdown to feed the land. It's knowing that we must re-wild the land we live on.
All or nothing thinking isn't necessary here. Each step we take, letting the clover grow, trimming less often, and planting native species in place of grass are all so helpful! Skipping treatments and trims also saves time and money.
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The longer my yard goes without a mow, the more birds I see swooping to catch food, more butterflies dancing from bloom to bloom, and overall the heartbeat of the garden is stronger.
Rachel Maker
Cedar Rapids