[tomato] Corn Gluten as a weedicide

Tantrika (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Fri, 02 Jul 1999 12:15:49 -0700 

I just read an article about corn Gluten being a good *herbicide*.


"Organically Herbicide 'em

"With corn gluten meal, that is!  Turns out that corn gluten meal (a
by-product of corn processing) contains a naturally occuring herbicide that
prevents the germination of many weeds including purslane, lamb's quarters,
dandelion, redroot pigweed, annual bluegrass, barnyard grass, foxtail and
large crabgrass, reports Nick Christians, Ph.D. professor of horiculture at
Iowa State University.  You just spread the stuff over a bed right before
you transplant your seedlings into it of 5 - 6 weeks before you direct-seed
into it (you cannot spread it THEN direct-seed, it will prevent the
germination of your crops.  So right now is the perfect time to apply corn
gluten meal to beds you plan to plant this fall.  You can even rake some
into the soil between your tomatoes, peppers and other established plants
to keep weeds from sprouting up between them for the rest of this season.

"Corn gluten meal is *not* yet officially registered by the EPA for use on
veggie gardens, but Gardens Alive!, [at the time of this article] the
distributor of the first commercially-made corn gluten weed-killing
product, is working to change that.  Gardens Alive! already sells that
first product.  It's called A-Maizing Lawn and it *is* EPA registered for
use on turf grass....

"Just be aware that corn gluten is also a pretty potent nitrogen
fertilizer, so cut back on other feedtings if you do, and maybe don't use
it on all crops (like carrots) that don't like nitrogen....

To use "First, prepare your bed by tilling or raking the soil, then spread
the meal at rate of 20 - 40 lbs/1000 square feet.... Till (or rake) the
meal into the top 2-3 inches of the soil.  The the bed a thorough watering
to get any weed seeds germinating...then avoid watering the bed for a few
days"... unless you are putting it in where established plants are of course. 

Since weeds are "pests" it can be regarded as a "pesticide" :)

At 12:12 PM 7/2/99 -0500, you wrote:
>Since when is Corn Gluten Meal a pesticide????  Geez!!  Sounds like
someone either had something up
>their posterior, had their panties in a wad, or they were trying to make a
name for themselves!  Sorry,
>kinda opinionated here.