But this is not the time to feel hopeless! If anything, we all \u2013 each and every one of us \u2013 need to feel empowered to\u00a0help<\/a>. Because there\u2019s plenty we can do on our properties to aid these incredible pollinators. Look no further than your lawn.<\/p>\n What can a patch of grass do to save our pollinator species? It turns out, quite a lot! And you don\u2019t need to rip up all<\/em> of your grass and replace it with a wildflower garden. In fact, you can start small. Even if you take a quarter of your lawn and apply the following best practices, you\u2019ll be making a real difference for our pollinators.<\/p>\n Ready? Let\u2019s get to work!<\/p>\n Moreover, did you know gas lawn mowers are terrible for the environment? If you push a gas lawn mower for an hour, it gives off just as much air pollution as a 160-kilometre car trip! So it\u2019s best to limit your mowing time, if you can.<\/p>\n You can absolutely grow these plants exclusively or right amidst the turf you\u2019ve already got! It\u2019s best to add the seeding in late fall or early spring. That way when the temperatures dip below 4C, it\u2019ll be too cold for the seeds to sprout however the ground will not have frozen quite yet. This will give the seed the very best chance to germinate in the spring!<\/p>\n You might be inclined to reach for pesticides to get rid of a nasty pest, but it\u2019s critical to avoid them at all costs. You see, pesticides aren\u2019t targeted. Those grubs you want eradicated from your lawn in a hurry? You\u2019ll kill them along<\/em> with a number of other insects like bees, wasps, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators. Moreover, researchers have discovered that pesticides have a terrible effect on the reproduction, navigation and memory systems of pollinators like bees.<\/p>\n1. Mow a little less!<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mow-1096126446-1100x640.jpg\")
We get it. There\u2019s something so satisfying in seeing a neat, cut lawn. Heck, even the smell of cut grass is lovely. But it comes at a cost. And pollinators are paying the price. When you mow your lawn a little less often, you\u2019ll see more bees and also more varied kinds of bees. A researcher at the USDA Forest Service\u2019s Northern Research Station found that there were plenty more bees found when lawns were mowed every other week.<\/p>\n2. Plant short growing plants alongside or instead of grass.<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/dutch-white-clover-1128413728-1100x640.jpg\")
Many Canadians want to have a little patch of grass where their dogs can run around and their kids can play. But grass isn\u2019t the only option! Two popular pollinator-friendly alternatives include clover and heal-all. Both are low growing and flowering plants that are incredibly beneficial to our nectar loving friends. Did we mention they\u2019re just as short as grass at five to 11 centimetres in height? Plus they\u2019re soft underfoot and don\u2019t need to be mowed as often as regular turf grass!<\/p>\n\n
3. Mow during the day.<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/self-heal-bumblebee-500927805-1100x640.jpg\")
It\u2019s best to mow your lawn when pollinator species like bees and butterflies are active. That means you\u2019ll want to get the mower out during the day. If you wait until the evening, when the temperatures are a little cooler, you risk harming the pollinators. You see, these species often nestle into the grass to cool off during the evening and night. What about the pace? You\u2019ll want to mow at a slower pace to give these beneficial creatures time to escape the blades.<\/p>\n4. Ditch the pesticides!<\/h3>\n
![\"spraying](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/spray-pesticide-garden-505722125-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\n5. Swap fertilizers for compost.<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/lawn-compost-183506028-1100x640.jpg\")
We all want healthy lawns, but you can absolutely achieve a healthy lawn without the use of fertilizers. Try sprinkling a thin layer of compost over your lawn in the spring to give it a healthy boost. Then be sure to leave your grass clippings on the lawn. It\u2019ll make your life easier (because who wants to rake, anyhow?) and it\u2019ll also release nutrients like nitrogen into the lawn.<\/p>\n6. Embrace the dandelion.<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/dandelion-547011154-1100x640.jpg\")
Dandelions get such a bad rep. People will go to great lengths to remove these lovely yellow posies from their lawns and consider them annoying weeds. However, they\u2019re actually an incredibly beneficial flower that pollinators rely on early in the season. When pollinators like bees and butterflies emerge during the spring, there\u2019s not always a ton of nectar-rich plants to choose from. That\u2019s why dandelions are so important! They pop up early in the season and pollinators count on them to get them through the early spring days. So please resist the urge to dig them up or apply herbicide to them!<\/p>\n7. Leave the leaves!<\/h3>\n
![\"yellow](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/fall-leaves-maple-yellow-fall-autumn-hands-1100x640.jpg\")
When temperatures dip in the fall, it\u2019s tempting to dust off the leaf blower and go wild! But piling leaves \u2013 or worse \u2013 putting them in the bin, robs pollinators from a spot to shelter over the winter months. Aside from Monarchs, most butterflies (and also moths!) hunker down under the leaves in the winter. Sometimes they are in adult form, and other times they are in egg, larvae or chrysalis form. And they\u2019re not alone. Bumble bee queens often burrow their way under about 2.5 to five centimetres of earth. All those leaves piled atop of them helps to shield them from cold wind, ice and snow. So leave the leaves! Many pollinating species will thank you!<\/p>\nBonus Points:<\/em> Take the planting seeds pledge <\/strong>to receive your free packet of Black-eyed Susan seeds courtesy of the Canadian Wildlife Federation! Visit PlantingSeedsForWildlife.ca<\/a>.<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"