BBC legend David Attenborough has urged gardeners to hold off on cutting their grass this weekend – and it’s all to do with preserving the environment and wildlife in your garden
David Attenborough has issued a plea to people with gardens – urging them not to mow their lawns until next weekend.
The beloved BBC icon highlighted the importance of protecting wildflowers and insect pollinators during the summer months. He explained: “Nowhere here is richer in wildflowers and insect pollinators than our traditional hay meadows. Sadly, in the last 60 years, we’ve lost 97 per cent of this precious habitat. But with nature friendly farming, meadows can be restored to provide a haven for wildlife.”
Attenborough emphasised the significance of timing: “It’s all about the timing. Delaying mowing until mid-July allows birds and insects to complete their breeding and flowers to set their seed.” His comments come as fellow BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don also offered advice on lawn care.
Don advised: “All Spring-flowering bulbs should have completely died back so that long grass can be cut without affecting their display next year. At Longmeadow we often wait until August to do this because not all wild flowers have set seed, but by the end of July most wild flower meadows can be safely cut back.
“The important thing is to removed all the grass, raking up every last piece to compost so that it will not enrich the grass and thus limit next year’s wild flower display.” Attenborough and Don both stress the need to collect and compost grass clippings after the first mow to avoid enriching the soil too much, which could lead to less desirable, coarser grass growth and potentially harm the diversity of wildflowers.
The gardening guru and BBC TV personality further offered advice on the plants that should be pruned in June for their best care, reports Birmingham Live. He stressed that wisteria needs pruning during this month to guarantee the flowers return and bloom more splendidly than in past years.
