Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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Mark Koebrich - NBC News The green lawns we have with the spring weather will soon give way to the burnt, brown patches we get when the heat of the summer hits.
Mark Koebrich looks at an interesting formula today that many call a "tonic" for a drought stressed lawn.
| **Heffron's Lawn Tonic recipe is:** 2. 1 can of regular beer (no light beer) 3. 1 can of regular soda (any kind-no diet soda) 4. 1/2 cup of liquid soap (do NOT use anti-bacterial dishwashing liquid) 5. 1/2 cup of liquid ammonia 6. 1/2 cup of mouthwash (any brand) 7. Pour into 10-gallon hose-end sprayer (other sizes will work too) 8. In high heat, apply every three weeks |
Tim Heffron, Lawn Tonic Expert: "I have the best lawn in the neighborhood." Deep--thick-- beautiful turf-- that stays this way all season.
Tim Heffron, Lawn Tonic Expert: "It's greening up real nice."
His is always the first lawn to green up in the neighborhood.
Tim Heffron, Lawn Tonic Expert: "Those are fighting words."
He gets these great results with no sprinkler system and only a little fertilizer.
Tim Heffron, Lawn Tonic Expert: "I started using it about five years ago-- back in Oklahoma-- where it's 100-- 100 degrees every day-- day in and day out."
His secret--a formula-- a "tonic" made-up of common household ingredients. A pop, a beer, a little liquid dishwashing soap- some mouthwash--and some household ammonia--all mixed in to a 10-gallon hose-end sprayer. The pop and the beer are essentially food for your lawn, and,
Tim Heffron, Lawn Tonic Expert: "The combination of the two will allow the grass--the dead grass in your lawn-- help to begin to break down and to compost much quicker."
The liquid soap is a wetting agent -- helping the formula to penetrate to the roots. The ammonia promotes growth and turns your lawn green -- and the mouthwash does something you would never suspect mouthwash would do. It kills the bugs and grubs. NOTE: Do NOT use anti-bacterial dishwashing liquid in the mixture as it will kill off important microbes in the lawn and soil that help "digest" thatch.
Tim Heffron, Lawn Tonic Expert: "It essentially messes-up their re-productive cycle and keeps them out of your lawn and makes it look a lot better and leaves it minty fresh."
And because it's applied with the hose sprayer-- it's a direct shot to Your sod.
Tim Heffron, Lawn Tonic Expert: "When you don't have a lot of water-- and we're on watering restrictions -- this is another way to get the nutrients to your lawn and keep it growing."
It's a half-a-cup of all the ingredients, with the exception of the the pop and the beer. You pour all of those in, and then says Tim, you too are on your way to the best looking lawn in your neighborhood. The formula should be applied every three weeks. You should mow your lawn late in the evening, and then apply the lawn tonic immediately after that.
