Your Garden Likes Coca Cola

I don't sell Coca Cola. Neither do I recommend drinking it. But it is actually a useful ingredient in solving common garden problems.

• If you want to get rid of slugs or snails, sink a cup or small saucer into the dirt until the rim is about even with the soil surface and pour half full of coca cola or similar soft drink. Slug and snails will crawl in, and never come back out! Lettuce and strawberries are especially susceptible to slugs and snails, though that is by no means the only goodies they will munch on in your garden.
• If you have acid-loving plants, such as azaleas, gardenias, blueberries, etc. pour some Coca Cola around the base of each plant to increase the acidity of garden soil. Doing this will also feed the microorganisms in the soil that create beneficial organic matter in your garden.
• Pour some over your compost pile once a week with a watering can to give those microorganisms a boost as well. Your compost will finish quicker and more thoroughly!
• For a general green-up tonic on your lawn, mix one can Coca Cola, one can beer, ½ cup liquid dish soap (no antibacterial soap!), and ½ cup ammonia, and use in a hose-end sprayer once a month for a green, bug free lawn. I see no reason why this could not be used on the garden as well, though I have not yet tried it.
• Use Coca Cola  in a garden sprayer and spray everything in your garden for increased resistance to bugs and to stimulate blossoming and fruit set. It seems the higher the sugar level in your plants the less attractive they are to bugs, and the phosphoric acid in Coca Cola is exactly what plants need at the bloom stage to produce a healthy set of flowers, which in turn can give an increase in fruit production.
• If you ever get caught by surprise by a skunk, wash first with Coca Cola, then soap and water. Repeat until all the odor is gone. It's cheaper than tomato juice, and they say it works just as well!
• If you get bit by fire ants or stung by any of the baser flying insects, try holding a wad of cotton soaked in Coca Cola on it for relief.
• If you are planning a picnic, put a small dish with coke out about an hour early, and some distance away from the picnic area to draw the yellow jackets etc. off to the side.

I have not personally tried all of these ideas. Let me know how they work for you! I understand that some of these tricks work because of the sugar, some because of the phosphoric acid, some because of the caffeine, and some because of the soda (carbonation). Therefore, a cheaper off-brand might work for some of these, but not necessarily all. Controlled experiments would be in order here.

Organic Weed Control

A few tips for weed control: I LOVE grass clippings. I use them all over the garden and in flower beds. Apply one layer as soon as possible after planting. On some crops it is good to add another layer in the middle of the summer because the first layer will have grown thin. Green grass clippings also provide nitrogen. And it does wonders for keeping the roots cool and moist.

Some people report good results with a vinegar spray. The recipe is: 1 gallon vinegar, 1/2 cup salt, and 1 tsp Dawn dish soap (to help the spray stick to the plants). Do not get this spray on any plants you want to save, as it will burn everything. It is best reserved for driveways, walkways, patios, and similar areas.

One great way to have less weeds is to sprinkle corn meal around your vegetables after they are growing. Corn gluten has been found to keep many seeds from sprouting. It will not kill weeds after they germinate, but it is very helpful to prevent germination if you mix it into the top inch or two of soil. Not only does it serve as a pre-emergent weed control, but corn meal is also an all-natural organic fertilizer. Gardens Alive! sells a product made from corn gluten for this very purpose. They call it "WOW" for With Out Weeds! It really works!