Marshfield Residents Still Encouraged to Sign Up for "No Mow May"

Monday, May 1st, 2023 -- 9:01 AM

Winter has been a long season, and your lawnmower is probably ready to come out of hibernation, but here is your chance to leave your mower to stay idle for another month.

Here is how it works. participants can sign up with the City of Marshfield Streets Division for "No Mow May" and will not be fined for any tall grass/weed violations during May. No Mow May is an environmental campaign here in the city of Marshfield and around the United States that encourages citizens to refrain from mowing their lawns during the month of May.

The campaign aims to promote biodiversity and provide a habitat for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and other insects. During May, many wildflowers are in bloom, providing a vital source of nectar and pollen for pollinators.

By allowing these flowers to grow and avoiding mowing the lawn, people can help to provide a much-needed refuge for these important pollinator species. You can check out our webpage and register your property for No Mow May at https://no-mow-may-cityofmarshfield.hub.arcgis.com.

Mowing tips after No Mow May in promoting a healthy lawn: Adjust your mower to the highest setting and make the first pass to reduce the grass height. After you have reduced the grass height to a more manageable length, change the mower setting by lowering the height of the blade before making a second pass.

Do not cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time in a single mowing. For example, if your grass is 6 inches tall, only remove up to 2 inches of length. This helps prevent root stress and promotes turf vigor.

If your grass is tall, try mowing once during the last week of May and then again before June 4th to avoid stressing your turf grass. Reminder, do not mow or blow grass clippings into the street. Grass and leaves in the street can travel with rainwater into the City stormwater sewers.

Many stormwater facilities flow directly into our local rivers without pretreatment, and the added nutrients can cause algal blooms and other detrimental effects. Debris in the street can also be dangerous for drivers, especially motorcycles and bicycles.

Overall, No Mow May is a simple yet effective way for people to positively impact the environment and help support the vital ecosystem services provided by pollinators. If you have questions or concerns, please get in touch with the Streets Division at 715-486-2081.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.