Comprehensive Organic Yard Care: Sugar, Cedar Mulch, Herbs, and Fire Ants

Sugar Program Basics

• Rate: 4-5 lbs/1,000 sq ft
• Timing: Early spring, fall, during extended 100°F+ heat
• Water: Deep (6+ inches) – shallow watering causes thatch
• Scope: Entire property – lawn, beds, shrubs, trees
• Effect: Feeds microbes → rich soil → weeds die out naturally

Cedar Bark Mulch Benefits

• Type: Mulch (fine), NOT decorative chips (large, damages mowers)
• Application: Light scatter over lawn, 3-4 inch wide x 1-2 inch deep trail around foundation
• Repels: Termites, fleas, ticks, many insects
• Mowing: Fine mulch won't damage mowers; sharp blades annually recommended

Plant-Specific Amendments

• Alfalfa meal: Broadcast like sugar, or 2 tbsp per 17-inch container
• Alfalfa tea: 1 cup meal/5 gallons water, steep overnight, strain, foliar feed
• Benefits: Boosts blooms on roses, azaleas, flowering shrubs

Indoor Pest Control with Herbs

• Rosemary: 1-inch sprigs on shelves, under appliances, in closets, attic
• Sweet basil & lavender: Additional insect-repelling herbs
• Pennyroyal: For fleas/ticks IF no cats (toxic to cats)
• Mechanism: Pesticides kill roaches' food → they invade homes. Organic yard = roaches stay outside eating pests.

Fire Ant Management

1. Immediate: Chop orange peels finely, scatter over yard (orange oil repels)
2. Long-term: Organic program attracts lizards, toads, snakes that eat fire ants
3. Transition: Orange peels needed 1-2 years until predator population establishes

Non-Negotiable Rule

100% organic OR 100% chemical – never mix. Any synthetic chemical destroys the beneficial biology organic methods build.