Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
corn gluten weed killer in pellet form?
Okay, a problem may occur due to the rains. This product does not work the way other
herbicides work. It is much more effective if it stays dry. There is a lot of information about how it works, its patents, and how to use it on this website: http://www.gluten.iastate.edu/ I'm assuming you know this is a pre-emergent. It is a host to a fungus which renders the seeds non-viable. It can take up to 3 years to work at the maximum effect, but I am not sure where you read it takes 20 pounds per 100 square feet. I will look it up myself and see what it says to do and how to use it. Corn gluten meal also has a 10% nitrogen factor, which also helps turf green up, but studies indicate this effect is useless at the time you would need to put the stuff out. In Texas, our window of opportunity is as soon as you see daffodil foliage till maybe a month later. When the rains come in spring, the efficacy is lower, but the product has already done what it needs to do in order for seeds not to germinate. It's also a process of eliminating whole weeds before they go to seed. This is one of the only organic tools we have as a pre-emergent. You can also use 20% vinegar and orange oil as a contact herbicide. Take a look at weed control on www.dirtdoctor.com I do not agree with the entire website, or Garret's methods in total. Sometimes I think he's a big windbag, myself...nuff said about that relationship! I don't use any of these products, but I do keep my turf at 4 inches, mow weeds before they set seed and hand pull perennial weeds or use the Weed Popper, which is very effective and not too hard on the back. Victoria On Sun, 23 Mar 2003 20:40:17 GMT, "Hany Hosny" wrote: Not at all. Glad you asked. I applied it, last spring, to my 3/4 acre yard. Used my Scott's spreader set to 17 (which is 20 lbs. per 100 ft). It was applied about 6 or 7 days before the dandelions surfaced. I figured I had missed the window of opportunity for spring results, but that the fall might be a little better than the previous year. The fall was no good at all. Dandelions, crabgrass, thistle, etc. I didn't apply it again in the fall and just held on to what remained to use it again this spring. Applied it (using the same setting on the spreader) last Tuesday, which is LONG before the grass (or anything else) surfaced. (I live in the Chicago area, just so you get a sense for what the climate is like). It rained really generously on a few occasions, but I noticed that the fround, despite not being anywhere near frozen, is npt absorbing the WOW Plus. In other words, it's just sitting on the surface, as opposed to being broken down by the water and being absorbed into the ground. The people at Gardens Alive will wash their hands of responsibility by telling you that this stuff needs to be applied spring and fall, for three years for a 90% reduction in weeds. At nearly 50 dollars a bag and 3/4 of an acre, I'm reluctant. If my hunch plays out, the stuff I threw down last week will have no effect and I'll have ended my relationship with the people at Gardens Alive. Not impressed. And I don't accept the garbage premise that I need to spend 500 dollars, twice a year, for three years just to see if it's going to work. On to the next product. Anyone know of anything more effective (and natural)? -- Hany Visit Kiambu, Nina, and Kasha's World http://home.earthlink.net/~rooke8/ridgebacks "animaux" wrote in message .. . On Sun, 23 Mar 2003 13:52:42 GMT, "Hany Hosny" wrote: Where can I find the trials info for corn gluten effectiveness? Dennis Well, you can start with my non-scientific conclusions about Wow! Plus (a product by Gardens Alive). Big waste of money. I've dropped close to 1,000 dollars on this product (over a period of one year) and it is virtually useless. No matter how much is applied it has no effect whatsoever. Buyer beware. -- Hany Visit Kiambu, Nina, and Kasha's World http://home.earthlink.net/~rooke8/ridgebacks On what did you use the product, at what rate and within what window of time did you apply it? I'm curious not to disparage you, but to find out why you did not get good results. |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Weed Killer and Ant Killer that is dog friendly | Lawns | |||
Corn Gluten The Ultimate Weed Killer? | Gardening | |||
corn gluten weed killer in pellet form? | sci.agriculture | |||
corn gluten weed killer in pellet form? | sci.agriculture | |||
Weed suppressors, was corn gluten meal question | Edible Gardening |