No Mow March 2025!

It’s almost March and it’s not just March Madness that’s about to happen, but No Mow March. This year will be the third year that the Horticulture Extension Agents of the UF/IFAS Northwest District have promoted No Mow March. The No Mow March campaign encourages those with lawns to leave some late winter/early spring wildflowers to benefit wildlife.

If you don’t think you’re ready to skip mowing the whole lawn for the whole month of March, then maybe you could try a small piece and hold off as long as you can. The point is to get you thinking of how your lawn, usually not considered an inviting place for most wildlife, can actually provide valuable ecosystem services. Many pollinator species in our area are emerging from their winter break and looking for food as we move into March. Plants in your lawn that are typically considered “weeds” are perfect pollinator feeders at a time when other landscape plants have yet to begin flowering. Providing extra floral resources can be especially useful in more developed areas where well-kept landscapes reduce what’s available for pollinators. Since the health and abundance of insect pollinators contribute to the ability of higher organisms, especially birds, if there’s more insects, then there’s more food for the birds, too!

While you’re not mowing, try observing the wild plants and animals that visit your lawn. You can get help identifying them by using apps like iNaturalist or Seek. You could also spend some time ripping out part of the lawn and planting a new flower bed of native plants. Or you can focus on identifying any invasive plant species in your landscape and work on removing them.

The Horticulture Extension Agents of the UF/IFAS Extension Northwest District have put together a No Mow March website with more information, including a list of related workshops and classes, as well as a pledge you can take to affirm your choice to participate.