Does anyone have a good organic fertilizer/weed killer recipe?
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Farmers incorporate rice straw, a good and abundant source of organic material, back in the field.
Part of the image collection of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). (Photo by Isagani P. Serrano/ IRRI)
Question by poharry34: Does anyone have a good organic fertilizer/weed killer recipe?
I have a dog and do not want to kennel him just so I have Weed and Feed my yard. Does anyone know of a harmless weed killer/fertilizer concoction to treat my yard. The clover and creeping charlie are starting to take over.
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5 Responses to Does anyone have a good organic fertilizer/weed killer recipe?
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have your dog take a dump on the weeds, and spread horse or cow manure where you want to fertilize.
dog crap is highly acidic and will kill pretty much anything.
RichardRiley
December 15, 2011 at 7:19 am
I work for a citrus company in California. We use a fertilizer from Romeo’s. You can check our their website or our website (www.fourwindsgrowers.com). I don’t know if this fertilizer is organic though.
Mrs Apple
December 15, 2011 at 8:02 am
Mow as high as your mower will allow you as frequently as you can stand. Three inches is best. This lets grass grow to a maximum density to shade out weeds and weed seeds. Grass can tolerate repeat mowing so it will do okay but weeds don’t tolerate the stress of frequent mowing. Grass struggles when mowed short because it has no blades for photosynthesis, it fails and weed seeds get to germinate. Mow tall and you leave grass blades but remove the meristemic tips of tall weeds. Creepers are another problem.
Feed; really fertilize the grass with a nitrogen rich fertilizer like HastaGro 12-4-8 Liquid Lawn Fertilizer, get fast growth so the weeds literally grow them selves to death while grass just gets thicker shading the soil more. Leaving the clippings helps feed and shade the creepers out.
Water deeply and infrequently to encourage deeply rooted grass. You need 1 inch/week total unless the temps go really high. Get a little plastic rain gauge for the lawn area. Never let weeds go to seed.
For spot treatment or for small areas of pure weeds, try David Hall’s method of “vinegar sprayed as a foliar spray, not a soil drench. To a gallon of vinegar, mix a tablespoon of liquid dish soap and two tablespoons of molasses as wetting agents. Apply full strength from a hand sprayer. Be careful not to get any spray on you or in your eyes or inhale it.”
To prevent next years weed crop from sprouting try corn meal gluten as a pre-emergent. http://www.lawnandgardenmagic.com/hydrop
http://www.dirtworks.net/Weed-Ban.html
gardengallivant
December 15, 2011 at 8:20 am
Several good if disgusting liquid “tea” fertilizer recipes exist and can be readily found on the internet. As far as herbicides go, previous suggestions have some good ideas but make sure other plants (trees, shrubs and flowers) will not be impacted.
Example from Sierra Club:
http://www.sierraclub.org/e-files/fertilizer.asp
For gardens to grow, they need to be fertilized. Unfortunately, commercially available fertilizers are an unregulated product that may contain toxic wastes. Happily, you can easily make your own organic plant fertilizer “tea bag” — and save some money at the same time.
To make the teabag, lay a double layer of cheesecloth on a bare patch of soil and place one or two cups of compost, aged manure, or slow-release organic fertilizer on it.
If you want to make your own organic fertilizer combination, use the following ingredients (all of which you should be able to buy in bulk at a farm supply or feed store; they’ll keep for years if kept dry):
4 parts seed meal
1 part dolomite lime
1/2 part bone meal or 1 part soft rock phosphate
1/2 part kelp meal
Grab the four corners of the cheesecloth and bring them together, then twist and apply rubber band to make your “tea bag” of fertilizer.
Place the tea bag in the bucket, and fill with water and let it steep for a day or so.
When the tea is ready, remove the bag, and fill the bucket the rest of the way with clear water to dilute the tea. You can treat each of your plants to a cup or two of tea.
As a rule, underfeeding is better than overfeeding, and small regular feedings are better than occasional large ones.
Entoguy
December 15, 2011 at 8:30 am
Mow High. Raise your lawn mower blades to a height of 7.5 cm (3 inches). Longer grass has deeper roots, can crowd out weeds and most importantly, retains the lawn soil’s moisture.
Stop bagging or racking up your lawn clippings. Clippings provide valuable nutrients (nitrogen), help retain moisture and make it difficult for weeds to grow. Clippings break down quickly and disappear within a day or two.
Fertilize late April, early May. Fertilize your lawn before the first mowing of the season. Fertilizing on time keeps your lawn vibrant, your soil healthy, and promotes low maintenance during the months ahead. It’s always best to fertilize after aerating your lawn.
As a low tech weed control, pour boiling water over weeds. The neighbors might think you’re crazy, but in 2 or 3 days the plants will look like a herd of elephants walked over them.
Some consider it a last resort, but a weed burner torch is effective against dandelions and other perennial weeds.
Weeds, which often prefer poor, acidic soils don’t like the good stuff. The same works for creeping charlie, dandelions, and other pesky weeds. Not only will they be less apt to take root in the first place, but when the soil is fluffy, they’re easier to pull!
Is your lawn a little yellowish or brown during the Summer? Don’t worry … this is called ‘dormancy’ and it’s how your lawn protects itself against the heat. It’s true … so, when the weather turns hot and dry, let your lawn sleep. This means no watering, no mowing and no foot traffic. And don’t worry … your lawn will awaken soon enough.
r k a S
December 15, 2011 at 8:41 am