To order any of these products contact Corinne at corinnet@iglide.net
Reminding you that a healthy “looking” lawn & garden often means unhealthy issues for children and pets. Melaleuca Customers have other options to making our lawn healthy and chemical free.
MELALEUCA LAWN & GARDENING CARE ALTERNATIVES
- Mushrooms – Spray in trouble spots with a diluted mixture of Tough N Tender (will also kill gnats) and ants.
- Weed Killer – Mix 1/4 cup Tough N Tender with 1 gallon vinegar and 2 cups salt – apply to trouble spots
- Yard Bugs – Mix 1 cup of Lemon Brite dish soap and 1 cup of already mixed Breath-Away Mouthwash into a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer and soak your lawn, garden beds and trees to the point that the fluid is running off. Bugs HATE it!
- ANTS– Spray concentrated Pre-spot Plus on areas ants congregate (don’t use on wood). ALSO: Combine 1 oz of MelaMagic and 1 oz of So-U-Mel in a 16 oz bottle filled with water (great for black ants)
- ARMY WORMS– Mix 1/2 cup of MelaMagic in 2 gallons of water to spray for army worms. Spray coccon, nest, and any web. (This will also help with the ant invasion that follows)
- BUG Spray– A safe and non-toxic bug spray can be made from a combination of ¼ cup of Sol-U-Mel, 5 drops of T36-C5, 1tsp of Tough & Tender, and 14 oz of water. It costs a fraction of commercial sprays. One medical study suggests that bug sprays may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Why take the chance?
Some NATURAL REMEDIES: Special Tips for Gardens
Fertilizer- Tough & Tender diluted through a lawn sprayer unit is an excellent fertilizer for your Rose Bushes.
Use lots of organic fertilizer, especially compost. Compost is a natural primary fertilizer choice is pretty good for planting gardens. Compost is a living system of microbes and decaying organic matter. As microbes continually break down the organic matter, important nutrients are released slowly and steadily to be used by the plants. The glue-like waste products of these microbes create a porous soil which holds more air and water, helping your plants to breathe and drink.
Don’t plant in rows. Plant with equal space in every direction. Rows were invented to ease the harvesting of really big crops. In your own backyard this is less relevant. Try growing your plants equally distant from one another in all directions. This helps exclude many invasive weeds. Additionally, this creates a microclimate which keeps heat in and retains moisture, the combination which stimulates robust plant growth.
Use plants suitable to your specific region. Buy seed (preferably organic) from a company that harvests seed locally. These seeds have been selected for their performance within the specific requirements of your local environment.
Use nature’s tricks. Plants have evolved their own pesticides such as caffeine and nicotine. Dump some chewing tobacco or coffee grounds in your watering can to make a less toxic pesticidal tea. Apply generously whenever you water.
Special Tips for Lawns
Use a variety of grass suited to your local area. Call your county extension service to find out which variety of grass would be most appropriate.
Reduce soil compaction. To aerate your soil use earthworms and a garden fork. For bigger jobs, rent an aerating machine.
Remove thatch build up. Thatch is the layer of decomposing roots, leaves, and stems at the surface of the soil. Removing this layer allows water and fertilizer to penetrate down to the roots where they are most needed. Use a thatching rake or for big jobs, rent a thatching machine. It is most strategic to do this in the spring or fall when the grass will grow back quickly.
Mow frequently but lightly. Mowing too low to the ground reduces the amount of green in a lawn, which reduces its ability to produce food. Mowing too low also causes a lawn to dry out. Finally, be sure to use a sharp blade to reduce the stress on the grass.
INSECTS….. BUGS… other PESTS!
Ants
1. Cucumber peelings will get rid of black ants. Spread peels by ant trails in your house; the ants eat the peels and die.
2. Kill ants in lawns by pouring one pound of coffee grounds in a quart of boiling water over the anthill. A very big anthill may require a larger amount of coffee and hot water.
3. Repelling Ants on Counter Tops: Wipe counters down every day with cider vinegar… (unless counters are made of Marble… vinegar dissolves marble).
Silver Fish / Roaches – Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 1 Tbsp of powdered sugar. Put the mixture in roach/silverfish areas (out of children’s and pet’s reach). Bugs eat the mixture and explode.
Slugs – Fill spray bottle with 1/2 and 1/2 solution of vinegar and water. At night, use flashlight to find slugs in garden and spray the slugs with a “stream” setting. The vinegar causes the slugs to slime to death. (Also, put out a pan of beer. This will lure slugs to a drunken death.)
Essential Elevations 