Togher Tidy Towns & Cork City Council are supporting #NoMowMay on Vicars Road area to allow pollination and let wildflowers grow to feed the bees.
the difference.
#NoMowMay is an annual campaign started by Plantlife in the UK asking everyone to put away the lawnmower during the month of May to help our native wildlife.
Native Irish wildflowers like Dandelions, Clover, and Birds-foot trefoil provide the best source of pollen and nectar for our hungry wild pollinators. By mowing less, we can give them a chance to appear naturally – no seeds needed!
This year, the National Biodiversity Data Centre are delighted to partner with An Post to invite everyone to join the buzz to save the bees. Keep an eye out in your letterbox for a recyclable No Mow May postcard, which will be posted to 2.3 million Irish homes in the coming weeks.
But there’s no need to stop at May. Mowing less all summer is one of the best things you can do to help pollinators. So why not take part in Let it Bloom June and Help them Fly July?
Why should I take part?
On the island of Ireland, one third of our wild bees are threatened with extinction. This is mainly because of hunger – there isn’t enough food to support them in our landscape. If all of us chose to put our lawnmowers away for one month, we could start creating a network of places where pollinators can survive and thrive.
How can I join in?
Taking part in No Mow May couldn’t be easier – just lock away the lawnmower for the month of May and wait and see what grows. You might be surprised by what appears over a few short weeks. You might see plants like Dandelions, Red and White Clover, and Birds-foot trefoil, all of which are excellent sources of food for pollinating insects, as well as bees, butterflies, and birds, all attracted by the feast on your lawn!
I don’t have a lawn. How can I help?
If you don’t have a lawn, you can still help pollinators by planting a pollinator-friendly pot or window box with peat-free compost. Plants like Thyme, Chives, Oregano and Lavender are all excellent sources of pollen and nectar and can help feed the bees.
What flowers can I expect to see?
Take part in Now Mow May and see what appears – you might be surprised. Common wildflowers like Dandelions, Clovers and Self-heal will appear on many lawns if given the chance. If your lawn doesn’t have many wildflowers, it may be too fertile. By reducing mowing and removing the grass when you do mow, you gradually reduce the soil fertility and give wildflowers a chance to compete with the grass. Over time, lawns managed in this way become more and more flower rich.
Should I plant wildflower seeds to speed things up?
Native meadows are disappearing across the island of Ireland. These important habitats are full of flowers that have evolved alongside our pollinators, offering the best source of pollen and nectar. No Mow May is a way of beginning to restore this habitat, creating small pockets of native meadows in our gardens and communities.
Mowing less allows local, native wildflowers to emerge naturally over time. Wildflower seed mixes and ‘seed ball’ type products usually result in colourful displays of non-native flowers. Sowing them in your lawn will not result in a native meadow.
I’ve only just heard about No Mow May – is it too late to start?
It’s never too late! Reducing mowing is one of the best ways to help pollinators at any time of year, regardless of when you start. Reducing mowing helps reduce the fertility of the soil over time, allowing local, native wildflowers to pop up naturally.
Find out more on the No Mow May website.
Source: Biodiversity Ireland and and National Biodiversity Data Center.
