Lawn Fertilizer Tips

Epsom salts. Use it in the spring to green up the grass & help prevent weeds. Pretty cheap too. Directions are on the package.

Nothing beats Jerry Baker. He uses all natural ingredients that you usually have at home. Go to his web site or better yet, order his book. jerrybaker.com

Cut grass quite high. Don't catch the clippings as it will mulch down and feed the soil. Also the ground holds better moisture with more "hair" on top.
Get your lawn cored from time to time and rake sand into it if the soil is compacted.
If you really feel you need to add something to it, try poo tea! A huge bucket (lided) of water with a shovel full of chicken/cow or horse poo. Let it festure for a week, stiring ocasionally and dilute to "tea" strength and apply in a watering can or whatever you have.

I just saw this on the news.

Home Made Lawn Tonic:
One can of pop
(not diet)
One can of beer
(no light beer)
1/2 cup of household ammonia
1/2 cup of liquid dishwashing soap
(do not use antibacterial soap because it will kill important microbes)
1/2 cup of mouthwash
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.
The pop and beer act as food for the lawn. The ammonia promotes growth and helps make the grass green. The liquid dishwashing soap is a wetting agent and helps the water reach the roots. And the mouthwash actually kills bugs and grubs in the lawn.
Be very careful with the ingredients. The ammonia could kill the grass if too much is used. The tonic should only be used once every three to four weeks in high heat, and even less frequently when the temperatures are not hot. It is also important to only use diswashing soap, dishwasing detergent could be harmful. If you have pets at home, they should also be kept off the lawn for 24 to 36 hours after treatment.

Direct from Jerry Baker's "TERRIFIC 345 Do-It-yourself, Fix "Em Formulas for GARDEN &Maintaining a Lush Lawn & Gorgeous Garden TONICS" pAGE 6: "Your lawn will let you know when it's hungry. As the soil warms up in the spring, plant roots stretch out further into the soil, seeking food. When they can't find enough their growth is stunted and the plants start to show signs of starvation. If your green lawn becomes spotty orlighter in color, pay attention-it's beggin for food! Give it a hearty meal of my All-Purpose Yard Fertilizer, and watch it grow. INGREDIENTS: 1 can beer, 1 can of regular cola (not diet); 1 cup of apple juice; 1 cup lemon-scented dishwashing liquid; 1cup amonia and 1 cup of all-purpose plant food.
DIRECTIONS: Mix these ingredients in a large bucket, then pour 1 quart of the mix into a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer. Apply to everything in your yard to the point of run-off every three weeks during the growing season, and you'll see fantastic growing results!" "Always apply lawn fertilizer (either liquid or dry early in the morning before noon. This allows your grass to digest the food right away, before the hot afternoon sun can burn it and give it an upset tummy. Jerry's famous grandma Putt taught him so much growing up, and he shares this tip of hers: "Want to grow the toe-ticklin'est turf on the block? Then do what Grandma Putt did, and aerate your lawn after you water it or after a heavy rain--the soil will be much easier to penetrate when it's moist." You can go to JerryBaker.com to purchase his books. I promise you you will save a great deal of money and not put anything chemical into your lawn, gardens or whatever.

Letting the lawn clippings fall back on the grass adds nitrogen to the lawn and eliminates the need to bag the clippings and send them to the landfill.