WNYMoms.com

BUFFALO, NY (WGRZ) -- With temperatures in the high 80's and low 90's this week, 2 On Your Side dove into our archives to find a story we first brought you seven years ago about a lawn tonic that many claim can help keep your grass green during hot, dry weather.

Lawn Tonic Recipe:
- 1 can of beer (no lite beer)
- 1 can of soda (no diet)
- 1/2 cup of liquid dishwashing soap (no anti-bacterial)
- 1/2 cup of liquid ammonia
- 1/2 cup of mouthwash

All of the ingredients are poured into a 10-gallon sprayer that attaches to the end of a hose and applied to the lawn.

Gladys Davis first learned of the concoction from a neighbor, who found it on WGRZ.com. "I thought it was worth a try because all the ingredients are household ingredients." Gladys says she liked the results. She says so far she's applied the formula to her lawn on two occasions, and "It's turning a deep, pretty green."

HOWEVER, from AccuWeather.com:

Why does grass turn brown? People in the northern half of the United States plant lawns with cool-season grasses. Those lawns thrive in cool, wet weather during the spring and fall. To survive the hot, dry weather, grass turns off the color in their foliage, which takes the plant from green to brown.

In dormancy, the growing part of the plant shuts down and waits for the cool air and moisture to return. When grass stops growing, it doesn't need much energy. It can last much longer without water.