How to Make Fertilizer With Ammonia

Encourage plant and grass growth with homemade ammonia fertilizer.

If your plants or lawn are in need of extra care, give them some homemade ammonia fertilizer. Buying plant and lawn fertilizer gets expensive, and since many commercial fertilizers are ammonia based, you can cut costs by making your own. Ammonia gives the plants and grass nitrates that help them grow and thrive. Mix a batch of ammonia-based fertilizer and watch your plants and lawn flourish.

Things You'll Need

• Empty garden sprayer
• Household ammonia
• 11 cups beer
• 1 cup baby shampoo
• 1 cup liquid lawn food
• 1/2 cup corn syrup

Instructions

For Plants

1. Fill a clean, empty garden sprayer with 1 gallon of water. Add 1/4 cup household ammonia.

2. Put the lid on the sprayer. Swirl it around to mix the ammonia and water.

3. Spray the ammonia mixture every few weeks at the base of your plants, where they meet the soil.

For the Lawn

1. Fill a clean, empty garden sprayer with 11 cups of regular beer.

2. Add 1 cup of household ammonia, 1 cup of baby shampoo, 1 cup of liquid lawn food, and 1/2 cup of corn syrup. Put the lid on the sprayer and shake it well.

3. Spray the mixture liberally onto your grass, fertilizing your lawn in the spring and fall if you live in a cooler climate, or throughout the summer if you live in a warmer climate.

References

• Reader's Digest: Money-Saving Ideas for Plant and Flower Food
• Greenview: When is the Best Time to Fertilize the Lawn?
• PlantCare.com: Fertilizer Facts
• Michigan State University Extension: Alkaline-Tolerant Plants