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No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

beecityusa.org

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Re: No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

#21

Post by morkalork »

dgacmu wrote: post #16
madoublet wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looks nice. Soft to walk on. Great for kids and pets. Fairly inexpensive to maintain. Never really understood why people don't like lawns TBH.

In western and more arid states they're a huge waste of water. Really depends on the climate. In other areas they're just a lost opportunity for biodiversity. Mixing in some clover or other small perennial soft small flowers can help a lot with making it both self-fertilizing and more pollinator-friendly. (We kept part of our grass for exactly that reason but it helps that we don't have to water the lawn here. With a…

Mixing clover and other small flowering plants with grass is definitely the way to go. I can sit on the swing in my backyard and lose count of all the bumblebees and small butterflies bouncing across the lawn.

What I don't understand is, is the need for huge front lawns. It's all the work with none of the benefits. Just a waste of space really. People don't use them the same way at all.

Re: No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

#22

Post by defrost »

madoublet wrote: post #7
programmarchy wrote: post #6

Main problem I have with long grass is that it seems to attract more mosquitoes. I’d actually prefer xeriscaping but my HOA doesn’t allow it.

Also impractical simply b/c non-commercial mowers cannot cut long grass.

Problem solved, Australian xeriscaping has no grass, long or short, to be cut with a mower be it commecial or non commercial.

Re: No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

#23

Post by s1artibartfast »

kelnos wrote: post #5

> residents of Appleton, Wisconsin [...] convinced their City Council to suspend their weed ordinance for the month of May. This reminds me that there are many municipalities and homeowners' associations that essentially require you to mow your lawn weekly or bi-weekly, lest your grass gets too long and they fine you, because... reasons. It's really gross that we allow people to be such busybodies.

Freedom of choice and mutual consent. Everyone owning a house in a HOA signed on the dotted line.

Not for me, but some people hate long grass and are willing to waive their property rights so they don't have to see it.

I'm glad there is an outlet where they can do their own thing without involving me.

The fact that this sometimes becomes a municipality issue is a major failing.

Re: No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

#24

Post by camhart »

My lawn is 100% for my kids. Schools give kids less and less time to get their energy out. They need areas to play and exhaust themselves more than ever.

Most dog owners use the backyard in a similar fashion.

Though thats only the backyard. Front yard could be rock, plants, flowers, long grass, etc and wouldn't make a difference.

Re: No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

#25

Post by camhart »

thatfrenchguy wrote: post #8
kelnos wrote: post #5

> residents of Appleton, Wisconsin [...] convinced their City Council to suspend their weed ordinance for the month of May. This reminds me that there are many municipalities and homeowners' associations that essentially require you to mow your lawn weekly or bi-weekly, lest your grass gets too long and they fine you, because... reasons. It's really gross that we allow people to be such busybodies.

Never really understood why people have lawns in the first place, no-one ever sits on them. Really shocked me when I moved to the US, people value having backyards and just don't spend time there (yeah I'm watching you commenting down on how much you use it and challenge you to actual journal how much time your family spends in there)

We never sit on our lawn. But we play soccer on it. Have water gun fights on it. Let the kids run through the sprinklers on it, etc.

Re: No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

#26

Post by peteradio »

Mow what? The dog shit covered barren earth I call my backyard? I'm hip I'm "with it" I will let the spring time swamp hellscape flourish into a rare summer of blighted jumbo clover vine, mulberry saplings and invasive thistles. Only year after year of record breaking snow and a dog without conscience could smother mother natures step aunt.

Re: No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

#27

Post by anonymous_sorry »

madoublet wrote: post #7
programmarchy wrote: post #6

Main problem I have with long grass is that it seems to attract more mosquitoes. I’d actually prefer xeriscaping but my HOA doesn’t allow it.

Also impractical simply b/c non-commercial mowers cannot cut long grass.

You can use a strimmer or a scythe. Takes a bit longer but you're doing it much less frequently, obviously.

Re: No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

#28

Post by b0ner_t0ner »

programmarchy wrote: post #6

Main problem I have with long grass is that it seems to attract more mosquitoes. I’d actually prefer xeriscaping but my HOA doesn’t allow it.

Depending on where you live, you can plant some flowers that attract dragonflies: https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/15-plants-that-attract-dra...

Re: No Mow May, Low Mow Spring

#29

Post by sokoloff »

> Lawns cover 40 million acres, or 2%, of land in the US, making them the single largest irrigated crop we grow.

That's comparing (an estimate of the) total lawn area to only the irrigated portion of corn (around 17% of the 91 million acres of corn in the US). If less than 40% of lawns are irrigated (which seems entirely plausible), then turfgrass is not the largest irrigated crop by any measure.

Total for total, corn has more. Irrigated for irrigated, lawns have more iff ~39% or more of the total area is irrigated. I doubt that 2/5ths of all lawn area is irrigated, but good statistics on that were not readily findable (and certainly not cited in the article).

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