How to Make Homemade Fertilizer for Your Lawn

Growing grass can be frustrating and rewarding in equal measure. There’s no fail-safe method of success, unfortunately, but if you are struggling to revive a patchy area, feeding your lawn fertilizer may be your best best.

Though most homeowners buy lawn fertilizer at the local garden supply store, there are good reasons to take matters into your own hands and nourish your grass with a DIY version. Dirt cheap to concoct, homemade fertilizer involves a short list of ingredients that you likely have on hand already. This homemade fertilizer recipe has proven effective for countless homeowners, and it can work for you too.

DIY Lawn Fertilizer Recipe

Step 1: Collect the ingredients.

Start by gathering all three ingredients, each one of which brings an important benefit to the table.

• 1 can or bottle of beer: Beer delivers nutrients not only to the grass itself, but also to the bacteria in the soil that prime the lawn for growth.
• 1 cup of of household ammonia: Ammonia supplies a powerful infusion of nitrogen, something plants can’t live without.
• 1 cup of baby shampoo: Shampoo makes the ground more absorptive. Because soil bacteria are so important to lawn health, be sure to get nonantibacterial shampoo.

Step 2: Mix the ingredients, and pour them into a hose-end sprayer.

Pour the ingredients into a container large enough to accommodate them. On account of the ammonia, do this either outdoors or in a room with ample ventilation. Next, add the mixture to a hose-end sprayer with a built-in reservoir for liquid fertilizer.

Best Hose-End Sprayer

Ortho Dial N Spray Hose End Sprayer

With 14 dilution settings and three spray patterns, Ortho Dial N Spray is ideal for applying liquid concentrates to lawns. Read the review.

See It at Tractor Supply See It at The Home Depot

Photo: Amazon

Step 3: Apply the fertilizer thinly and evenly across the lawn.

Begin spraying the homemade lawn fertilizer, taking care not to let the nozzle linger too long in one place. Given its high level of potency, the fertilizer should be applied as evenly as possible across all parts of the lawn you are treating. Mix a larger batch if you wish to fertilize all of an unusually large lawn.

Step 4: Re-apply fertilizer every two weeks, as needed.

Apply the homemade fertilizer every two weeks or until you are satisfied with the progress your lawn has made. Beware of fertilizing too much or too often, because applying too much can inhibit rather than promote grass growth. Meanwhile, keep close tabs on the pH of your soil; it should ideally be in the 6.0 to 6.5 pH range.

 

All You Need to Care for Your Lawn & Garden

Keeping your grass green and your plants thriving doesn’t just take a green thumb—it starts with the right tools and supplies.

SEE OUR FAVORITES