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No Mow May: Debate over skipping yard care divides neighbors

  • No Mow May encourages growing grass long to help the ecosystem
  • Researchers: Not mowing promotes flowers for bees, birds and butterflies
  • Opponents: It’s important to maintain a tidy lawn for neighborhoods

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CHICAGO (NewsNation) — Spring signals growth and that means giving your lawn some TLC. However, some homeowners are debating over when to refresh their yards.

Since it’s the first day of May, some homeowners argue you should skip mowing the grass and whacking weeds and participate in “No Mow May,” while others argue it’s going to make the neighborhood look bad.

No Mow May started as an idea to encourage homeowners to avoid mowing in May and grow their grass long to help out our ecosystem.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have said not mowing promotes flowers for pollinators such as bees, birds and butterflies. They also said that grass grows excessively twice a year, including the start of summer, and provides nutrients to withstand drought and rising temperatures.

Opponents have said it’s important to maintain a tidy, aesthetically pleasing lawn for neighborhoods.

Experts have also said that not mowing your lawn for a month can cause problems leading to unstable soil and mudslides in some regions of the country.

Lawn care has even become polarizing and political. Democratic lawmakers are passing regulations to encourage “eco-friendly” lawn care.

California is banning the sale of gas-powered mowers and leaf blowers starting next year. Cities like Boston and New York are also considering banning gas-powered mowers.

Not sure what to do this month? Experts recommend buying a special mix of grass that needs less water and using the lazy lawnmower approach — a happy medium of weekly trims and letting the yard run wild.

Climate

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