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Homemade Lawn Fertilizer Recipes

Patchy unhealthy lawn.
Do you have an unhealthy patchy lawn? Making your own lawn fertilizer provides you with the opportunity to go as organic as you like. There are a myriad of fertilizer recipes to choose from many containing household products. This page contains homemade lawn fertilizer recipes.
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Silver Post Medal for All Time! 433 Posts
June 5, 2012

For greener grass.

Materials

Instructions

Pour into a 10 gallon hose end sprayer and apply about every 3 weeks. Works really well. People are always asking my husband how he gets the grass so green.

By coville123 from Brockville, Ontario

 
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July 5, 2006
Homemade Lawn Fertilizer

Questions:

Does anyone have a homemade lawn fertilizer?

Hardiness Zone: 6a

Jamish from Ransom, KS

Answers:

Jamish,

There are several homemade lawn tonic recipes that have been around for years. Here are a few variations:

  • 1 can of beer
  • 1 cup of ammonia
  • 1 cup of plain liquid dish soap... (not liquid detergent)
  • 1 cup any brand liquid lawn fertilizer
  • 1 cup of molasses or corn syrup
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Mix these ingredients into a 10 or 20 gallon hose end sprayer and apply evenly to the entire lawn in early mornings or later evenings. Water well. You'll find your lawn will need less water during droughts. Feed every three weeks or year round in warmer zones.

Or:

  • 1 can of beer (no "light" beer)
  • 1 can of soda (no "diet" soda)
  • 1/2 cup of liquid soap
  • 1/2 cup of liquid ammonia
  • 1/2 cup of mouthwash

Or this last one from Jerry Baker, America's Master Gardener:

  • 1 cup of beer
  • 1 cup of baby shampoo
  • 1 cup of liquid lawn food
  • 1/2 cup of molasses
  • 2 tbsp. Of fish emulsion
  • Ammonia

The beer in these recipes promotes microbial activity (same goes for the tea, soda, corn syrup and molasses). Ammonia breaks down into nitrates, which provide the plants nutrients. This nitrogen also helps break dawn thatch into nutrients the lawn can take up. The soap helps the solution spread more evenly over the lawn as you apply it. And the mouthwash contains alcohol, which acts as an irritant to many insects. Occasionally you may also run across a recipe containing tobacco. This also acts as an insecticide.

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I've never tried them, but these recipes are supposed to work on both your lawn and your flowers.

Ellen

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May 12, 2009

Here's a great tip for you gardeners. You can buy a large bag (approx. 20lbs) of oil absorbent from your local auto parts store for less than ten dollars, and it has multiple benefits. It also acts as a great fertilizer; says so right on the bag.

My Japanese Red Maple loves lots of fertilizer, so if you have one that is not flourishing with a good rich color, give it more fertilizer. Triple 13 works well also. But, with the oil absorbent you get the extra benefit of drying up spills and oil leaks, as well as the added benefit of fertilizing your rose bushes, trees,shrubs, and of course the Japanese Red Maple. Happy gardening.

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By Clarence from Memphis, TN

Editor's Note: Make sure that you get the type of oil absorbent that is OK to use as a fertilizer. Most are made with wood chips or some other natural material.

 
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June 18, 2005

Mix all these together, in the proper amounts, poured it into a 10-gallon hose-end sprayer, and apply it to a lawn while you water.

 
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May 22, 2005

Dissolve the Copper Nitrate in water and use on approximately 1000 square feet of lawn. Apply by spray with weed sprayer. Apply 30 days later to kill any new growth or to fertilize the lawn if desired.

 
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17 Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

April 4, 2017

When making homemade lawn fertilizer you say to use a hose end sprayer; what is this?


Answers


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
April 4, 20170 found this helpful

You buy the sprayer at any garden center. It screws onto the hose and will dilute it to the correct proportions for your lawn.

 
 

Silver Post Medal for All Time! 255 Posts
April 5, 20170 found this helpful

hose is a garden hose. sprayer is the nozzel that goes on the end.

The other thing you can use is a hand held tank that has a hose and sprayer attached to it.

 
October 1, 20170 found this helpful

Wat setting should u use on ortho dial spray to equal a 10 gallon sprayer?

 
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April 30, 2020

I want to make the homemade lawn fertilizer. How much square footage does an application cover, say a 20 gallon mix out of a hose end sprayer set at 3 or 4 oz?

Thank you!!

Answers


Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 140 Posts
April 30, 20200 found this helpful

Here is a homemade recipe to make lawn fertilizer - www.gardenguides.com/112712-make-homemade-liquid-lawn...

 

Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,298 Posts
April 30, 20200 found this helpful

Wow! I never knew you could make your own thanks for sharing. I will have to try these sometime.

chemistrycachet.com/.../
www.gardeningknowhow.com/.../homemade-lawn-fertilizer.htm

 

Gold Answer Medal for All Time! 617 Answers
May 6, 20200 found this helpful

this link says it takes 44 gallons to spray one acre

www.domyown.com/about-how-many-gallons-of-water-would...

so you would have to see how many feet are in an acre, because your amount would be a bit less than 1/2 an acre

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so 21,000 square feet, approx.

 
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June 17, 2017

Is there a homemade recipe for liquid lawn fertilizer that can be used in a 25 gallon tow behind liquid sprayer? I have a John Deere sprayer.


Answers


Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 949 Feedbacks
June 17, 20170 found this helpful

You may have to take a 5 or 10 gallon recipe and multiply to get your 25 gallons. I feel sure there are simpler recipes to be found also.
Here is a quote: "Master Gardeners for Lawns recommend a concoction of 1 can beer, 1 cup ammonia, 1 cup dish soap, 1 cup liquid lawn fertilizer, 1 cup molasses. Hose end sprayer @ a 10 gallon rate evenly spread.

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Here is a link to a similar recipe (which I also plan to try).

www.wisebread.com/secret-lawn-tonic-recipe-from-golf...

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
June 17, 20170 found this helpful

From garden-counselor-lawn-care.com:1 cup of plain liquid dish soap (not detergent) 1 cup any brand liquid lawn fertilizer (like Miracle Gro) 1 cup of molasses or corn syrup. Mix these ingredients into a 10 or 20 gallon hose end sprayer and apply evenly to the entire lawn in early mornings or later evenings.

 
Anonymous
April 26, 20190 found this helpful

evenly spead to how big of a yard?!!!!!!!

 
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June 13, 2000

I am looking for a lawn spray you can make with liquid detergent, water, beer, and ? I don't know the other ingredient, the amounts of each to use, or how to use, but heard it works very well. Does anyone know?



Julia

Answers

December 1, 20000 found this helpful

I believe you are referring to Jerry Baker's Feeding Spray for Lawns. It is recommended that this be applied every 3 weeks in the early morning. You can actually feed everything in your garden with this tonic. Use a 20 gal. hose end sprayer

* 1 can beer
* 1 cup ammonia
* 1/2 cup liquid dish soap
* 1/2 liquid lawn food
* 1/2 cup molasses or corn syrup

For more of Jerry Baker's great recipes for garden products go to: http://www.jerrybaker.com

 
June 27, 20020 found this helpful

I have lost my Jerry Baker recipe for a spray to get rid of mosquitos. I used it last year and it was great! It used lemon dish detergent, dog flea detergent, and ammonia. Help me!

 
Anonymous
August 18, 20160 found this helpful

the amount to mix does this make 20 gal.to spray

 
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August 9, 2016

The recipes tell you what to use and the amount, but not how much it will make. How do I find out the coverage?


Answers


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
March 6, 20170 found this helpful

Less is more. A lot of these fertilizers are made in a pail. You can get a gadget that attaches it to the hose as well. I would walk around and make sure all the grass gets a sprinkling. If your lawn doesn't look good, then you can add more.

 
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March 23, 2015

There are some recipes for homemade fertilizer on this site. Is this fertlizer safe for pets and kids to walk on right after application?

By Taden D from Clifton, IL

Answers


Bronze Answer Medal for All Time! 220 Answers
March 23, 20150 found this helpful

You must query the provider of the fertilizer infomation. Note-in a recipe, each ingredient may be safe for children and pets, however, a large amount of any one ingredient or a combination of two or more ingredients may be a problem. I doubt any of the providers can guarantee safety concerns.

 
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July 25, 2014

I accidentally deleted the recipe for homemade lawn food, I know it had beer, dish soap... Help!

By Bobbie

Answers

April 30, 20201 found this helpful

Hello Bobbie. I've seen many recipes for lawn food. The one including beer had:
1 can of beer
1 cup ammonia
1 can of soda (not diet/ sugar free) your
lawn needs the sugar
1/2 cup of dish soap (not antibacterial)
1/2 cup antiseptic mouth wash (gold type)
Mix this together in a large enough container.
Pour this magic potion into a hose end sprayer. Fill all the way. (32 oz.) Set the adjustable dial to 3 or 4 oz. and spray away. I don't know how large an area this will cover for a lawn. A typical hose end sprayer will dispense 20 gallons of product before you run out. So go easy at first. Don't use all of the product in a small area. Using this formula every 3-4 weeks should fo you good, but always use your judgement regarding how much to apply and when. Making a concoction of chewing tobacco in an old nylon stocking and steeping it in a half gallon of water can be used in place of the mouth wash stated above. This will keep the harmful bugs out of your lawn. It will give then an upset tummy and not want anything to do with your lawn. This will also work with plants. Look up Jerry Green on the internet. He has many home remedies we used here in Michigan, he having been based here and did many shows on Saturday mornings. He was the best and his tonics worked. Good luck.

 
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April 29, 2014

I read the various recipes for homemade lawn fertilizer. My question is how much to make for a 6 gallon tow behind pressure sprayer?

By Bill M.


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April 22, 2013

I used to have one with beer, some kind of dog shampoo, a golf ball to keep it shaking, Weed and Feed, and maybe something else. It was safe for kids and animals to go on it right away. Any suggestions. Thanks!

By Jeri Lynn

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March 17, 2013

The homemade liquid fertilizer recipe of beer, pop, etc. How big of an area does this cover?

By James

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April 29, 2011

I have a recipe for lawn fertilizer made with beer, ammonia, dish soap, etc. You're supposed to mix it with water in a 5 gallon bucket. But I want to use one of those containers that you attach to your hose, (one which previously had a fertilizer mix in it). How do I know how much ratio wise, that I should put in the container for the water from the hose to mix with it as it's spraying?


By Heidi from Lombard, IL

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March 28, 2017

A well watered lawn can be a haven for mosquito larvae and make your yard practically unbearable during the Summer. This is a page about recipe for a green lawn with no mosquitoes.

A beautiful green lawn in the sunshine.

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