The merry – and busy – month of May

The merry – and busy – month of May

When it comes to gardening, there “May” be no busier month than the fifth one on the calendar, even though there is still a chance of frost in our area. Weeding, fertilizing and planting annuals, perennials and summer fruits and vegetables all become a priority. So does dead-heading spring bulbs – leave the leaves in place as nutrients until they yellow – and pruning shrubs that have already flowered.

May is also the month when mowing becomes a weekly chore. For some, there is nothing more exquisite than an emerald expanse, with its striped pattern. For others, it’s yet another item on the to-do list in an ever-crowded schedule – here a robotic mower might help -- or an example of the tyranny of neighbors and visitors, who tend to give an untamed yard the side eye.

For still others, the lawn mower – which was invented in the 1830s – has become one more symbol of the desire to control nature at the expense of the environment. We’ve discussed the mower’s contribution to noise pollution elsewhere on this blog. (We at the Morano Group use lithium battery-powered electric mowers.) Tall grasses exchange the sounds of mowers for those of the “b” crowd – butterflies, beetles and bees – enhancing pollination.

Brigitte Girling – who’s squarely in the enhancing-wildlife corner – has written in House Beautiful UK that this doesn’t have to be an either/or situation. “A patch behind a shed, around the garden edges or under trees is a wonderful start.”

If you decide to let your lawn go totally au naturel, she writes, “All that is then required is a single cut each late August or September, leaving the cuttings to dry for a week, allowing seeds to drop before collecting up and composting.”

Whatever your landscaping needs and desires, we at Morano stand ready to help you strike the balance between your aesthetic sense and your sense of responsibility to the environment.

Visit our website today to learn more about all of our services and how we can help you create a beautiful, healthy outdoor space.