Hi, this is Jane from the Wild Bunch with our latest column.
You may have heard of “No Mow May” – the campaign to encourage us all to leave grass uncut over the summer. Wildflowers and grasses can then flourish, providing habitats and food for the animals and insects that so need our help at present.
But what happens when summer is over? A pretty patch of long grass and flowers in sunny June can look a sorry sight in wet September. If that is your experience, don’t let that put you off next year. And if you didn’t manage “No Mow” this year, here are some ideas for 2024.
Firstly, long grass needs cutting back – ideally by early September, after flowers have set and dropped seed. But if yours is still long now, it’s not too late to cut and rake it off before it becomes a matted carpet. Those flower seeds will need light and air to get going next year and they cannot compete with thick grass. Maybe introduce yellow rattle seed this autumn, to reduce grass growth next spring. Scalp the lawn very short, rake the ground hard so that areas of bare earth between the clumps of grass are fine and crumbly. Simply sprinkle the yellow rattle seed, then firm the ground by gently treading in.
Or, in early spring cut the grass again – very short if planning to sow wildflowers. Rake to create some areas amongst the grass that can be little seed beds. Sow the seed thinly and firm by treading in. Wildflowers flourish best in poor soil, so if yours is rich and with no yellow rattle you may be better choosing garden annuals selected for their nectar and pollen. Look for the “bee-friendly” symbol on seed packets. The insects won’t mind whether they are native wildflowers or not. And if you don’t have a lawn, a patch on some waste ground or a pot of annuals will still provide much-needed summer food for insects.
To find out more about encouraging wildlife in your garden or local open spaces, take a look at our Facebook page or sign up for a monthly get-together (e.g. October 19th on fungi) at www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/wild-bunch.
