KEEP YOUR GRASS LONGER

DON’T CUT YOUR GRASS TOO OFTEN

The distant hum of lawnmowers can be heard constantly again with the warmer weather, but it seems that slightly longer lawns are a valuable home and food source for birds and other creatures. And if you can leave some of the wildflowers that grow in lawns too, these are an additional source of food and nectar for bees.

Wildlife experts are appealing to gardeners to reduce their mowing and keep grass a little longer for wildlife this summer.

For those that love a neat lawn, don’t panic. They are not suggesting you never cut the grass, just that you mow it a little less frequently and when you do, you set the blades so the grass isn’t quite so short.

According to experts cutting back on the mowing is one of the easiest and most beneficial actions you can take to help wildlife at this time of year. And you’re even saving yourself a job!

If you do require a shorter lawn for pets or children, then simply leaving a small patch uncut could make a big difference and will likely be populated with worms and insects which will provide food for all sorts of birds.

Many garden favourites will ground feed in long grass, including song thrushes, blackbirds, dunnocks, finches and house sparrows.

About the Author: Helen Chapman is part of the PASSION for the PLANET team