Archive for the ‘Fertilizer’ Category
Did you know that making your own lawn fertilizer can be a great alternative to using the stuff that you buy in stores? Homemade fertilizer can help in protecting the environment and, at the same time, save you some money.
Over the years lawn care has turned into a really big business, bringing in millions every year. We, as consumers, have been told over and over again that buying these pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides or fungicides is the best way to take care of our lawns. This is not true.
Depending on the product, we can spend a lot of money. We also now know that the use of these products can damage our environment. This is why the use of homemade lawn fertilizer has become favored by those of us hoping to lower costs and preserve the environment.
You may ask what ingredients are contained in homemade lawn fertilizer. Two main ingredients appear in many homemade lawn fertilizer brews. These are Epsom salts and Ammonia. The Epsom salts help make the soil less compacted. This helps roots to grow and become better at absorbing nutrients and water. The ammonia provides nitrates.
There are a number of beneficial organic items that you can use to make homemade lawn fertilizer. These include such things as blood meal, seaweed compost, bone meal, and what is known as compost tea. Alfalfa, compost, and leaves can also add important nutrients. Adding ground limestone can help in restoring a proper pH balance to soils that are too acidic.
If you are worried about the use of chemicals, looking to be more environmentally friendly, are worried because you have kids or animals, or you just prefer being organic, there are a number of excellent homemade lawn fertilizer recipes to be used. Some homemade lawn fertilizer recipes may seem ridiculous but they have been shown to work and work well. Here are a few you may want to try yourself. Some are easier to do than others.
Lets start with what is known as a tea fertilizer. Make a three foot square out of burlap, this is going to be used as a strainer to separate solids from liquids. Place five quarts of manure on the burlap. Tie the four corners of the burlap together to form a bag and put the bag into a 5 gallon bucket. Pour in three gallons of warm water and let it sit in the sun for a week. I wouldn’t do this on your deck. After a week it should be the color of the tea you drink. Remove the bag and hold it above the bucket until it stops dripping. Now the tea is ready to use. The tea is a concentrate so you will use one cup tea in one gallon of water. Spray it on your lawn.
Here is another one that I’ve used. Mix one can of coke, one can of beer and one cup of apple juice. Pour the mixture into a 20 gallon hose end sprayer. You will be amazed with the results. Also try this. Mix one can of pepsi, one cup of ammonia, one cup of beer and one cup of Epsom salts. This will help aerate the ground and let it breath better. The ammonia will kill any bacteria or fungus in the ground. Remember when using ammonia be sure not to inhale the fumes. You may want to use a mask.
