Time for Dried Molasses, 20% Vinegar And Corn Gluten Meal

Today was a lot of work but well worth it to set us up for a lovely lawn this spring.  I alternately pulled weeds or sprayed them with 20% vinegar to kill them (which makes some stubborn weeds easier to pull later), spread dried molasses and corn gluten meal and then watered it all in.  I also spread some more grass seed on a few patches of lawn that looked like it needed some filling out. 


20% vinegar is amazing.  After spraying it on, weeds are dead as door nails within about 4 hours if in the sun, longer if in shade. 

Dried Molasses provides nutrients to microorganisms that keep your soil healthy.  Healthy soil better supports a beautiful lawn.  An awesome side benefit to more microorganisms in your soil?  Fire ants hate them (if you don't care about fire ants or have never even heard of them, you definitely don't live in Texas.)  Molasses also helps combat grub worms.  Grub worms can be pests in and of themselves (about 10% of them feed on roots), but they also attract small animals that dig up gardens and lawns looking for them.   Another tip I stumbled upon: grasshoppers love dried molasses, so if you've got a problem with grasshoppers, just fill a jar half way with water, throw in a handful of dried molasses and check back later.  Grasshoppers will jump into the jar and drown.

Corn meal gluten is a natural herbicide.  Applying it right as things start to wake up in the springtime really helps deter weed growth.

I am now all set until spring is underway and I need to spread some organic fertilizer. 

Did I mention we live on an acre?  My back is killing me.