There has been quite a bit of conversation lately about the little flowers we seem to all be raising these days.  They seem to have taken over and there is great debate about the best way to get rid of them.  Many natural methods work and they don't involve signing for a chemical at the garden store.  We have all heard about the best tools for pulling them.  Some have even heard about our natural recipe of vinegar, salt, and a little bit of dish soap. We have even found a fungus that you sprinkle on the weed and it kills it. 

I want to share one more idea that is more of a prevention than a cure.  We have mentioned Corn Gluten Meal in the past, but what do you do with it?  Well, let me tell you all about it.

Corn Gluten Meal or CGM is a by-product of corn. It’s used to make taco shells, pet food,
corn chips, animal feed and can also act as a natural herbicide on your lawn, in your
flower beds and vegetable gardens!

Corn Gluten Meal stops seeds from germinating therefore prevents new weeds from growing,
but does not attack existing weeds. It’s
available in two forms, powdered and pellet.
Pellet form is easier to apply than the powder form because it will not cake when watered
and will not blow away after you apply.

CGM should be applied three times a year
for the best results:

- Early spring, after the snow melts
- Middle or end of June
- Late August to mid-September

From July to mid-August try not to overwater your lawn (more than 1 inch of water a week. This reduces the survival rate of the few seeds
that may have germinated.
If you are planting seeds, allow the plants to grow and establish themselves before applying CGM.

How to Apply CGM:
Step 1: Apply CGM to the soil surface of your lawn using a fertilizer spreader
Step 2: Water the product thoroughly and press it to the soil surface.
Step 3: Let it dry out. (This stresses newly
germinated seeds)

The suggested application rate is 10kg/100m2
or 20lbs/1000 sq ft; less may be used depending on the amount of weeds.
Store any excess CGM in a dry place.

When transplanting container grown annuals, perennials or vegetables, mix some Corn Gluten Meal into the top 1/4" of soil. These plants have
a large root system so they will not be harmed by CGM and the weeds will be deterred.

CGM also slowly releases Nitrogen into the soil as it decays and helps the plants grow lush,
leafy and gives them a nice dark green colour!

Some companies add other nutrients to CGM but in order to be effective the product must be 60-98% CGM.