While welcoming the current spell of dry, sunny weather, Castleisland Tidy Towns group members are appealing to locals to try their best to resist the urge to mow their lawns.
“This is because reducing mowing is the most cost-effective way to provide food for pollinators,” said group spokesperson Shane McAuliffe.
Native Plants Best
“This allows wildflowers to grow naturally in the longer grass. Native plants are best for our pollinators, and reducing mowing is an excellent way to encourage them to thrive.”
Shane also points to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 which outlines how mowing under a pollinator friendly regime is simple:
1 Do the first cut on or around the 15th of April, and then cut on a six week rotation.
2 Cuttings should always be removed.
Dandelion – A Vital Food Source
The late first cut allows Dandelions to flower, but not to set seed. Dandelions are a vital food source for pollinators in spring.
Subsequently, mowing on a six-weekly rotation allows wildflowers to grow naturally and provide food.
The clover that will bloom in June or July if grass is managed this way are particularly important to bees.
Areas of grass managed in this way tend to be colourful and still look tidy
More information is available at http://www.pollinators.ie
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