Friday, March 27, 2009

Mimi's Rose Garden Tip Junkee Tip #3


Here are some great lawn care tips, things you might never think of:
1. Wear golf shoes when working in your yard or garden
2. Water before 2 PM, between 5 AM and 8 AM is best
3. Pick all the grass clippings and use as mulch for your garden
4. Apply your weed controls between 1 PM and 3 PM on a bright, sunny and non-windy day
5. Apply any disease controls after 7 PM
6. Mow after 7PM for both you and your lawn's comfort and health
7. Make sure you mow only with a very sharp blade (might want to buy a few extra blades)
8. Make sure to hose down your lawnmower after you are done

Okay, now for some great fertilizing, snack and all-season tonic recipes!

In the spring, use this fertilizer recipe remembering this will do a 2500 sf. lawn

Fertilizing:
3 lbs. of Epsom Salts per 2500 square ft bag
50 lbs. of your favorite dry lawn food ( apply this at half of the recommended rate)
use a hand held spreader on the medium setting.

The Snack Tonic:
It's an instant snack which will get your lawn up and growing in the spring and the fall, which is when you need aggressive roost action and thatch breakdown. Mix the following ingredients in a 20 gal. hose end sprayer and apply after your first application of dry lawn food in spring and after your last application in the fall.
1 Can Beer (doesn't matter what kind)
1 cup liquid dish soap or baby shampoo
then fill the balance 20 gal. hose end sprayer with ammonia

The All-Season Tonic:
After applying your "Snack Tonic", every 3 weeks, early in the morning, within two days of mowing your lawn, feed everthing in your garden with this "All Season Tonic", again mixed in your 20 gal hose-end sprayer:
1 Can Beer
1 cup Ammonia
1/2 cup liquid dish soap
1/2 cup Liquid Lawn Food
1/2 cup of molasses or corn syrup (yes, you are reading this correctly)

Make sure to clean your sprayer really well, the molasses or corn syrup may clog up your nozzle on the sprayer, so take extra care to clean properly after each use.

I will continue to post more great Snacks, Tonics and mixtures on a daily basis for your gardening pleasure and health!

Don't forget about my "Anything Pink Sale" at my website, if you love pink, then take a hop over to my website and get your Pink Fix today!

Have a great weekend! Look for another Garden Tip Junkee post tomorrow!
Mimi

1 comment:

Jil~Say It With Roses said...

Hi Mimi,
What wonderful tips!!! Beer and liquid soap and ammonia, who would have ever thought! We are trying it!!!!!
Scotts Lawn Care ruined a very large part of our little back yard. One of our neighbors has nothing by Creeping Charlie in their yard and it creeps under the fence and thru the gardens. I pull and pull, but it, also, just appears in the middle of the lawn. Anyway, we hired them as they said, while it would take time, they would get rid of it. The person that came to the house each week, wanted to get rid of the Violets in the yard more. I kept complaining about the CC and so he came out when we were away and sprayed so much there is no grass or any sign of grass. I am so bloomin mad!! I refused to pay that last time. I am going to call their head office and tell them what happened and that I want them to come and put some sod down unless they ruined the soil for anything. I know I will not get any satisfaction, but a girl can try!
Sorry about the vent!
Hugs,
Jil
I love your blog...I learn so much!