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The No Mow Movement Calendar

Our No Mow Movement might begin with May – but it’s just the start of the journey to manage our lawns for nature.

Follow our No Mow Movement Calendar below for all the tips and advice you need to give your lawn some flower power this year!

A lawn is bursting to life with wildflowers. A house can be seen in the background. In the foreground a banner reads, 'I'm giving power to the flowers'.

Did you know that our No Mow May campaign isn’t just about May? When we started our journey for nature friendly lawns back in 2018, we chose May as a starting point, to encourage people to think differently about the way they manage their lawns. But it’s just one month of a whole No Mow Movement. It’s all about encouraging people to mow less for longer.

Sometimes we need to start small, to make bigger changes in the long term. No Mow May is a way of dipping your toe into the no mow journey.

So however you choose to start or continue your No Mow Movement journey, you can find all the tips and advice you need in our calendar below.

The No Mow Movement Calendar

May

Welcome to No Mow May!

  • Start the movement by letting your whole lawn, part of your lawn, or even a window box grow and bloom
  • Sign up to our No Mow May campaign to get a whole host of goodies and expert tips
  • Keep track of your No Mow Movement journey with our new progress badges
Explore What A No Mow May Lawn Looks Like

June

It’s time for Let it Bloom June!

  • The journey doesn’t end just because May has! Why not leave a space in your garden for nature to continue to bloom this June?
  • Follow the link to our expert Let it Bloom June advice to build on the success of #NoMowMay
  • Yellow Rattle could start turning to seed already, so listen out for that rattle sound
Blooming Good Top Tips

July

  • Traditional hay meadows are cut in mid to late July. You could mow, carry on growing your lawn, or leave a smaller area into late summer
  • Watch out for wildlife! Before you mow, check your lawn for animals such as frogs and voles
  • After flushing out wildlife, mow from the centre towards shelter so that any remaining creatures  have a clear route to safety
  • Yellow Rattle could be turning to seed in July, so look out for that if you’re hoping to collect sow more of the ‘Meadow Maker’ in the autumn!

Nature Friendly Mowing Tips

August

  • If you did your first cut in July, remember to keep cutting after that point to keep the grass short for the following year
  • August is when some of the later blooming flowers might be popping up in your law
  • This is the ‘golden hour’ for grasses! Look out for grass flowers turning a golden yellow as the summer comes to an end
  • If you haven’t collected your Yellow Rattle seeds yet, you only have a short window of opportunity – they set seed between June and August dependent on summer weather

Growing Yellow Rattle

September

  • September can be a great time to cut back your lovely long lawn. If you have very long grass, read our expert advice on how to cut at the link below
  • If you cut back your lawn remember to remove the grass cuttings 
  • Prep for sowing seeds by dethatching your lawn and scarifying to create bare ground
  • Sow your native wildflower seeds

Explore Lawns of All Lengths

October

  • If you haven’t started sowing seeds, October can be a great month to prep some of those areas you have cut, ready for a blooming good season next year
  • If you’re going for hay meadow management, keep your lawn shorter through until April, or the first sign of Yellow Rattle seedlings
  • Remember to rake away old thatch (dead grass and plant material that builds up over time) and collect your mower cuttings
  • Sow Yellow Rattle or plant plugs in the autumn

November

  • It’s the last month to sow Yellow Rattle as the seeds need about 4 months below 5C to germinate in the spring
  • Keep your grass shorter with a couple of mows over the autumn month, or as many as you need to keep the grass growth in check
  • Remember to remove all of your grass cuttings

December

  • If the temperatures are mild, your lawn will continue to grow during the winter, so you can do a winter trim
  • If you have any damage to your lawn such as bare patches, now is a good time for repair work!
  • Try taking small strips of turf from the edges of your lawn to repair as this will contain the same soil makeup and grass and plant species

January

  • New year, new garden! Well, not quite – your garden will spring into life soon, but there’s not too many jobs to do in January
  • You probably won’t need to mow your lawn during this chilly month

February

  • Spot some early wildflowers in your lawn such as Lesser Celandines and Primroses
  • De-thatch your lawn by giving it a rake. Our lawns and other grasslands can get a bit clogged up with dead grass or old cuttings which reduces light levels to seeds waiting to germinate or other plants. It can also add nutrients to the soil, which might sound great, but not for native wildflowers trying to compete with the vigorous grasses

Get Started with Early Gardening Jobs

March

  • It’s a good time for an early mow!
  • Mowing a couple of times before April can give wildflowers hiding amongst the grass more of a chance
  • Mowing early is particularly important if you have sown Yellow Rattle seed, although once you start finding Yellow Rattle seedlings that are tall enough to be affected by the mower, leave them to grow

April

  • Don’t feed your lawn, as it will only promote the vigorous grasses to out compete everything else
  • Sow your springtime seeds! Some native wildflower seeds you’ll want to sow in the autumn, such as yellow rattle – but others can be sown in April
  • Try sowing a mini meadow in planter and see what comes up

Top Tips for Spring Gardening

Join the No Mow Movement

Plantlife’s No Mow May is here – let’s give power to the flowers!

It’s is one of the easiest ways to connect with wildlife and the perfect way to start supporting nature in your garden (in May and beyond!).

Join today

Explore the No Mow Movement

 

 

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