Is No Mow May allowed in Knoxville? What you need to know about the spring trend

Spring is truly here, bringing out bees, butterflies and other insects that rely on blooms for food and habitat. And there’s a trend Knoxvillians can join in to help these pollinators during springtime.

No Mow May (or Low Mow Spring) is a movement to help early-season pollinators, such as bees, by pausing on mowing lawns during spring months to allow flowers to bloom, according to Bee City USA, an organization devoted to preserving native pollinators. Late winter and early spring are when floral resources are often limited.

“Mowing less creates habitat and can increase the abundance and diversity of wildlife including bees and other pollinators,” Knoxville’s weekly newsletter The Neighborly Notice explained in its May 7 edition.

“The start of the growing season is a critical time for hungry, newly emerged native bees. Floral resources may be hard to find, especially in urban and suburban landscapes. By allowing it to grow longer, and letting flowers bloom, your lawn can provide nectar and pollen to help your bee neighbors thrive,” the notice continued.

No Mow May was first popularized by Plantlife, an organization in the United Kingdom, but is now gaining traction in North America, noted Bee City USA, and the City of Knoxville supports residents who want to participate.

No Mow May in Knoxville

If you see your neighbor’s lawn growing just a little bit higher than usual, you might want to hold off on calling the city about a code violation.

Knoxville residents are allowed to participate in No Mow May and Low Mow Spring as long as they are certified as a Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation, certified as a Tennessee Smart Yard through the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, or have some other environmental certification, according to Knoxville’s Office of Neighborhood Empowerment.

Participating yards must have certification plaques visible. Code inspectors will be looking for proper signage and ensuring the defined “no mow” areas are following guidelines.

“The City of Knoxville requires yards to be mowed regularly, so a yard cannot just be overgrown and called a wildlife habitat,” Neighborhood Coordinator Debbie Sharp explained to Knox News in an email.

“In order for the City not to send a codes violation, be sure that your certification plaque is visible and for best practices, keep the pollinator beds ‘landscaped,’” Sharp continued.

What are the No Mow May guidelines in Knoxville?

Certification is key to not violating any lawn-related city codes or regulations. But there are other guidelines to follow as well if you participate in No Mow May or Low Mow Spring, Sharp explained.

• Wildlife Habitat and other certifications should be visible in the yard.

• Lawns cannot simply be overgrown, which is defined as exceeding 12 inches high, according to Knoxville Neighborhood Codes Enforcement.

• Pollinator beds must be ‘landscaped’ with boarders.

• There must be space between your pollinator beds and your neighbors’ yards.

• There must be space between your pollinator beds and any sidewalks.

And the “No Mow” trend doesn’t mean you can’t mow your lawn for an entire month.

“Mowing every two or three weeks can increase flower blooms and provide food for hungry bees,” Knoxville’s Neighborly Notice states.

How to become certified for No Mow May and Low Mow Spring

You can certify your yard as a wildlife habitat through National Wildlife Federation at nwf.org. There is a $20 application fee, which supports the organization's programs and local affiliates, including the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, the site states.

Certification as a Tennessee Smart Yard is free. The program is through UT Institute of Agriculture, and more information is available is at tnyards.utk.edu.

Knoxville has been certified as a Wildlife Habitat since 2017, according to Neighborhood Coordinator Debbie Sharp. The neighborhoods South Woodlawn, Historic Fourth and Gill and Forest Height are certified as well.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Is No Mow May allowed in Knoxville? What you need to know to help bees