UW-Madison Professor Says Planting a "Bee Lawn" Is a Good Idea

Monday, November 6th, 2023 -- 12:00 PM

(Raymond Neupert, WRN) As you finish up your lawn care for the winter, a UW Madison botanist says you might consider planting more than just turf next year.

As you finish up your lawn care for the winter, a UW Madison botanist says you might consider planting more than just turf next year. Professor Paul Koch says a flowering lawn is a good way to help your environment.

"That will incorporate plants like clovers and other plants that flower at low mowing heights and provide some food and nutrition for various types of native pollinators."

Professor Koch says the so-called "bee lawns" look nice and help the environment. "Clover is commonly seen in lawns oftentimes it's thought of as a weed because it looks different than the grass. But those clovers have an association with bacteria that pulls nitrogen out of the atmosphere and self fertilizes your lawn."

Koch says that sort of planting can do more for the insects than simply taking part in No Mow May. There's research and resources available at the University of Minnesota to get your lawn bee friendly. We've got a link on our website. https://extension.umn.edu/landscape-design/planting-and-maintaining-bee-lawn

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