Few things complement a flower garden better than a well-kept lawn.  Many people have become obsessed with having that "perfect" lawn, spending hundreds of dollars each year on expensive commercial fertilizers and weed killers.  However, while these products do a wonderful job in most cases of producing a beautiful deep green lawn that is virtually weed free they can have harmful effects as well.

Some fertilizers have been shown to cause cancer in pets like cats and dogs, while they may also cause skin irritations and allergic reactions in people.  Additionally, the chemicals in these products leach into your soil and may contaminate ground water if they are used too extensively.  Fortunately, there are a few simple and cost effective ways to keep your lawn healthy without using dangerous chemicals.

One way to control thatch in your lawn is to make a beer-based solution.  This solution contains ammonia, which may sound like a harsh chemical.  In fact, ammonia occurs naturally and dissipates quickly.  Here is the recipe:

Beer Solution

2 cups liquid ammonia

1 can beer

1 can of cola (not diet, as you need sugar in the mixture, not artificial sweetener)

1 cup of liquid dish soap

Use a 20-gallon hose end sprayer and mix all of these ingredients.  Spray liberally over your lawn.  The recipe should cover about 2500 square feet of grass, and you may need to reapply it two weeks later for heavier thatch.

If you want to fertilize your lawn using organic ingredients, you can try the following recipe:

Organic Fertilizing

1-cup liquid lawn fertilizer (be sure to check for chemicals or ask your garden center associate for organic fertilizer)

1 can of beer

1 cup of ammonia

1 cup of liquid dish soap

1 cup of molasses or corn syrup

Mix these ingredients in a 20-gallon hose end sprayer.  Spray the entire lawn in the morning or in the evening, followed by a thorough watering.  Apply every two weeks during the growing season.