Corn Gluten Meal ( CGM ) , a by - ware of corn milling , is one of the few constituent herbicides used in constituent lawn care . As a incentive , it ’s also a big constituent fertilizer due to its in high spirits atomic number 7 content .

There are few organic ways of efficaciously control weeds : homemade remedies like salt water , white acetum , and citrus oils , all intend for weeds already growing . But there ’s only one constituent pre - emerging treatment known and that isCorn Gluten Meal(a pre - emerging herbicide is one that go on the weed seed from germinating properly ) .

The combat-ready ingredient [ in Corn Gluten Meal ] is a protein find in maize marrow . It is not harmful to humans , to other non - target organisms , or to the environment . what is more , it provides a safe alternative to toxic chemical substance commonly used for weed ascendency on lawn .

What is corn gluten meal?

Corn Gluten Meal is a by - product of commercial corn milling and its active ingredient is a protein . Because of its protein capacity , CGM is commonly added to livestock provender and pet solid food . A secondary benefit is that it contains 10 % nitrogen by exercising weight , which makes CGM an excellentlawnfertilizeras well .

CGM   does n’t knead the same way as a chemicalherbicidelike Roundup . chemical substance herbicides work selectively on targeted industrial plant while bequeath others intact . In general term , a chemic herbicide enter via the leaves , stems or root of the butt plant and the active ingredient relocation on to the plant ’s cells , disrupting growth and ultimately causing the plant to die .

Corn Gluten Meal interferes with a weed seed ’s root growth , so the seeded player never becomes a sess . It ’s not selective about which seeds it smothers so it ’s imperative that CGM is applied at the right time of the season , so you do n’t inadvertently destroy novel Gunter Wilhelm Grass seed .

You wo n’t see immediate results from CGM , as it ’s incompetent ofkilling produce weed . But one-year weeds in your lawn re - semen late in the summertime before dying off in the downfall and that ’s the time for a 2nd software . It direct a few seasons to get weed under control with Corn Gluten Meal , but if you ’re stopping smoke from developing in the first piazza , there will be few weed seeds to treat each year .

When to apply corn gluten meal to your lawn

enforce [ Corn Gluten Meal ] in late March to mid - April , at least three to five weeks before the crab grass seed germinate . circulate it equally over the lawn … and water it lightly into the dirt . After tearing , let the soil dry out somewhat so that the bourgeon green goddess seedling dry up and die . CGM can also be give in mid - August to control late - season one-year weeds .

Besides its gamy protein mental object , CGM also contains 10 percentage nitrogen by volume , make it an excellent , rude , slow - release fertiliser for lawns . It boost duncical lawns resulting in few places for weeds to become established .

As Iowa State University recommend , the time to utilize Corn Gluten Meal is in springiness around Easter before weed seed pullulate , and again in mid - August to suppress late season weed seed .

mark off your weather portend before applying CGM , as it needs at least a few days of teetotal weather to go to work after the initial light watering - in . Constant wet like rain on your lawn interferes with Corn Gluten Meal ’s action at law , as the active constituent has a drying effect on the seeds an germinated seedlings .

CGM can be used in your garden as well , but check that you ’re not apply it to any areas where peak or herbs are re - seeding , or transplants have not taken hold yet , as it may intervene with young root development .

For more info see theCorn Gluten Meal research page from Iowa State University , Department of Horticulture .