AIBU to think No Mow May is a pointless pile of crap?

[RuddyNorma]

It increases allergies and ticks, causes paths and road signs to be overgrown and difficult to use, and at the end of the month it all gets chopped down anyway. It doesn't re-wild anything, it's just putting off doing outdoor chores. Plus, I'm not seeing any rebate on my council tax, even though our council has done naff all gardening for this last four weeks. AIBU to think that we do need to have some kind of initiative to support green spaces but that simply downing tools for a month isn't it?

It looks awful, just another cost cutting measure from the council.

People have taken to cutting the bits in front of their houses here themselves.

I know it feels annoying but it is a good thing for the environment (depending on how you treat your lawn to begin with). This is a good article about it: No Mow May? Or mix up the monocrop lawn? - Turf Matters No Mow May? Or mix up the monocrop lawn?

Also, it's not really a council/council tax thing, if the council is supporting it then great, but it's an eco campaign outside of the government/local authority

Why would you get a rebate? The money will hopefully go towards pot holes etc.

It looks beautiful, I just wish they'd leave it until August tbh. Let the grasses seed and then cut. Have you ever actually stood and peered into a gorgeous overgrown verge and seen the plethora of insects and wildlife it harbours?

Long live No Mow May

I really like it. But in my area they still cut pathways/around signs etc, but they leave big patches unmown and it looks lovely.

Complete agree- increasing biodiversity and best thing for pollinators :)

It helps insects to breed, which provide plentiful food for the birds, which helps them to raise bigger broods, which helps to improve diversity. It also provides early nectar for bees

I would much sooner the council left all verges / fields etc .. all the time, unless they are causing a hazard.

It looks really lovely by me - much prefer it to boring short grass.

I did no mow May but only cause it rained nearly every day ☔️

It's not about rewinding. It's about giving insects important food sources before the plants most people like to have in their gardens (bigger blooms, so flower later) really get going.

There's a really interesting study the university did in Cambridge last year/year before about how effective it was, and it was amazingly so. I'll try to find it later, and post it.

Increased insect population is so important for our bird and bat life, garden bird populations are hugely down (eg house sparrows are more than 70% in decline since 1977, when surveys only started as people were noticing there were fewer birds around)

You needing to take an antihistamine earlier in the year, might actually help save bird populations. A fair trade imo.

But it is true that when you mow, strim and cut you’re killing insects and taking away habitats/ecosystems. Most things that are good for the environment are inconvenient to humans, but we need to start reverting back to before everything got easier for us

A large number of insects overwinter in the ground and emerge during May. Lots of moths do so, for example.

No Mow May means they are far more likely to survive - because they aren’t killed by mowers and strummers, and because they have long grass to hide in until their wings have dried enough for use.

If we want to give pollinators and biodiversity the best chances, initiatives like No Mow May are important tools.

Our local council have been mowing , the only bit they’ve not done regularly is the actual wild flower part and that just gets hacked in the autumn .

It means there is more pollen for bees and other pollinating insects at a critical time for them. And we need lots of them for food production, amongst other things.

I agree that it looks beautiful. The meadow opposite my house is a riot of different coloured flowers at the moment.

Although I do think that road signs should still be visible so it doesn't have to mean no mowing at all.

https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/kings-wildflower-meadow-a-break-from-the-lawn

Link to study mentioned, although they were more intentional about creating a meadow than I remember.

it's just putting off doing outdoor chores

Which is why I am all for it! Might do Just Leave It To Grow June too.

I agree about ticks and blocking signs/roundabouts.

It's fine in peoples' gardens though.

It may be mildly inconvenient for you, but it’s massively beneficial to the insects that live in all of that greenery, and thus to all the creatures above them in the food chain.

Also, for those of us who like nature looking like nature, it’s lovely.

I like it.

Our verges are so much richer, in just a couple of years. Massive diversity in comparison with before.

Except you get half the population thinking that plastic grass is perfectly acceptable in their gardens 🤬

I like the look of it but it is terrible for Hayfever sufferers

But they are causing a hazard. Twice yesterday for me, during one journey. First one was approaching a roundabout, where due to the camber and road curve the only way I could see if anyone was approaching was to edge over the line. This is a roundabout on the main road into town, and the only lane that car drivers can use to approach (the other lane is for buses - not that any run on a Sunday ... ) Then later on I only saw a speed limit sign as I drove past it - it was completely obscured when looking head on by a tree/bush of some kind.

I have reported them, but it shouldn't be happening.

I think it looks lovely.

It should be 'very limited mow' May. Enough to reduce hazards, a part of your lawn sufficient to say 'I'm not away', nothing else.

Yes I’ve seen this and it looks good. Plus still accessible pathways/ signs.