You might be surprised to learn that a common household item like beer can be used to achieve a lush, beautiful, green lawn. In addition to beer, Epsom salts, soft drinks, ammonia or dish detergent can be added to create a customized beer fertilizer for your lawn. When making any homemade fertilizer, use gloves and goggles to prevent skin irritation or accidental splashes to the eyes.

Beer Made from barley and hops, beer is a fantastic source of energy for your lawn. Rich in carbohydrates, beer provides an immediate source of energy for microbes in the soil, which then release energy for the grass to use. Start out by pouring one 12-ounce can of regular (not light) beer into a large container with a spout.

Ammonia Household ammonia, which can be found in the supermarket near the cleaning supplies, is often added to homemade fertilizers because it is rich in nitrogen, a nutrient that grass needs to be healthy. Add 1 cup of household ammonia to the mix to give your lawn an extra nitrogen boost. Be careful when pouring or mixing the ammonia, as the fumes from the chemical are extremely penetrating and can cause breathing problems or discomfort if directly inhaled.

Soft Drinks While soft drinks aren't exactly healthy for people, the carbohydrates contained in the sugar or high-fructose corn syrup used to sweeten them can make your lawn greener and more lush by feeding the bacteria that live in the soil. The bacteria produce nutrients that grass can readily utilize for energy. Only regular, non-diet soft drinks, such as colas, orange or grape soda or even root beer, should be used, as diet sodas will not have the same effect. One can, or 12 ounces, of soda can be poured into the mixture to be used on your lawn. In lieu of sugary soft drinks, 1/2 cup of blackstrap molasses may be used. Molasses is a potent source of sugar and is therefore a great substitute to soda pop, although it is more expensive.

Epsom Salts Epsom salts are another rich source of nutrients for your lawn. The salts are potent sources of magnesium sulfate, which grass uses to create chlorophyll and seed. More chlorophyll means greener, healthier grass, so adding Epsom salts to your beer fertilizer is a great choice. Dissolve 1 cup of Epsom salts in 2 cups of water and add it to your beer mixture, stirring gently.

Liquid Dish Detergent Liquid dish detergent has surfactants in it that help the nutrients in the fertilizer stick to and be absorbed by the grass while leaving the grass unharmed. Adding liquid dish detergent to your mix of ingredients can help the ingredients work better. Add 1/2 cup of detergent to the other ingredients.

Application After all ingredients are carefully mixed, use a funnel to pour some of the concoction into a fertilizer applicator that attaches to your garden hose. Spray the mixture all over your lawn and let air-dry. Keep people and pets off your lawn for 24 to 48 hours after application so the fertilizer remains undisturbed and can soak into the ground. Reapply the mixture every two to three weeks or as needed, at any time of day. The leftover mixture can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.

Considerations The efficacy of beer-based homemade fertilizers has not been proven. Some people experience good results with lawn tonics containing beer, while others notice no difference. If you do not experience results with this type of tonic, try instead a commercial lawn fertilizer that you can purchase at your local garden supply store and apply it according to the directions on its package.

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