[FARM] Corn Gluten!

[Beetree]

Hello,

First of all I want to thank all of the folks that take their time to share information on this web site. I have learned so much! Thank you!
I am a new member, but I have been reading the posts for a long time, on the part of the board that you do not have to be a member to read. Way back when everyone was talking about the Coco oil...I ordered some and we love it and have been using it everyday! We now prep. I also ordered the key chain detecter. So this web site has changed our lives. It is exciting to be a member and I hope I don't make a fool of myself!
Okay sorry for going on. A friend told me about the corn gluten and how it is a good natural fertilizer and weed killer. We are going to start using it. I am sure that there is probably a discussion on this site about this product, so if it is boring to you to discuss it I understand. I know that it keeps seeds from sprouting. What I do not know is when the seeds sprout. I do not want to waste the product by putting on the grass too early. Right now we have some weeds that are going to seed. Are those seeds going to immediately start growing when they dry OR are those seeds going to wait til next year and start growing. I need to look at my crab grass tomorrow. I know it was seeding a week or two ago but I do not know if it still is. Take Care! Bee

 

[Brooks]

I recall that Todd had some information about corn gluten, specifically that if used too much (not sure if that is twice a year or every year) it can weaken the grass. I have an area I have tried to use it to get the crab grass under control. Not clear to me yet how much it is helping. What may have helped more, in the beginning of the season, was to overseed with white clover to fill in what had been crab grass spots the previous year. What the local garden gurus tell us, here in New England, is to make sure the pre-emergent is put down before the forsythia breaks, and then again sometime in the fall. (That's the info you wanted, not sure on the answer.) The corn gluten available here is large annoyingly orange pellets that require a *very* substantial amount of water to dissolve. I believe you want to create a film over the ground, which means you don't want to disturb it by raking. Not sure, but I would think if the seeds can germinate in both spring and fall, then they might start germinating this time of year as long as water is available. What I should have done, since it was a new area of lawn, was to let whatever wanted to germinate have at it and then nuke it and start over. Good luck!

By the way, always ton of good information in the discussion forums at www.gardenweb.com.

 

[Beetree]

Thank you Brooks. Any info is appreciated, since I am just starting out with this. I will check out the forum you suggested! Bee