Choosing a wilder lawn

‘No Mow May’ encourages homeowners to nurture nature in their backyard

BY DEBORAH MIUCCIO AND KEVIN THORLEY

Spring is here and along with the birds, we’ll soon hear the buzz of bees and other pollinators as they dance between snowy white clovers, brilliant yellow dandelions and vibrant purple violets.

While these flowers might be the nemesis of what we consider a “traditional lawn,” they are critical to providing food for pollinators at this crucial early season time of pollinators’ lifecycle. Now is your opportunity to join “No Mow May,” an international initiative to reduce the amount of lawn you mow during the month of May to allow more flowers to bloom and support the pollinators.

Why worry about pollinators? Because these important insects help fertilize our Vermont trees, plants and flowers, and much of the food we eat depends on pollinators. As the saying goes, “no bees, no food.”

You may have heard of the die-off that has been recorded with several species of pollinators, with bees being the most wellknown example. While there are many reasons for this, providing food for these insects early in their life is one thing we can do to support their continued survival.

Participating in “No Mow May” includes a commitment to omitting the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which can be toxic to insects and birds, as well as pets and humans. Traditional lawns that are cut short also increase the volume and speed of water runoff, which carries loose soil, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides into our streams and eventually Lake Champlain. Runoff creates problems like algae blooms, which can cause serious health conditions. Keeping parts of your lawn unmown helps prevent runoff.

You may be wondering if there are other ways to support pollinators in your yard, and the answer is, yes! Planting native species supports native insects, which in turn supports other native species including birds. Providing habitat and food sources for these native insects is an important part of creating a backyard habitat. Early nesting birds don’t rely on seed for feeding their young. Also, please remember to take down your birdfeeders in spring and avoid a visit from a bear.

We’re all familiar with the experience of sitting down for a meal on a beautiful afternoon just in time to hear a mower start up a few houses away.

Screen your soil for garden health

Vermont gardeners will be able to get their soils screened for lead at no cost at Garden Soil Health Day on May 13.

The event will be held from 1-4 p.m. at the University of Vermont Horticulture Research and Education Center (“Hort Farm”), located at 65 Green Mountain Drive in South Burlington.

The event is part of the national Soil Screening, Health, Outreach and Partnership (soilSHOP) initiative. It will provide free screening of vegetable garden soils to ensure safe and healthy home and community gardening. Interested gardeners should bring their soil sample in a plastic zip-locked storage bag for screening.