Anyone use Corn Gluten Meal for fertilizer?

[CloneGuy8]

After doing some research, this is the product I want to go with to fertilize my lawn. Anyone have any brand recommendations? I'm having hard time finding something.

Also, there are a few dandelions popping up in my yard. Is it still worth it to put this down and kill those with 20% vinegar?

 

[somecyguy]

I tried it last year, but my lawn told me that it requires gluten free. And that it's vegan. It does crossfit too.

 

[CloneGuy8]

I tried it last year, but my lawn told me that it requires gluten free. And that it's vegan. It does crossfit too.

 

[CyCrazy]

This is still a thing?

 

[nocsious3]

You are going to have to order online. Dr. Christians from Iowa State has done some research on it and it does inhibit root development in plants, however weeds will still live if it rains at the right time. Rain often happens in the Spring precisely when you want to stop the crabgrass from developing it's roots. If you want to just use it for the Nitrogen fertilizer, go right ahead. You might end up feeding more birds than your yard.

I like Milorganite as it's recycled waste and works well, and it's better than throwing it in the landfill. A fully organic program takes a ton of work to get premium results. You need to create the right balance to fight disease. I think you'd be better off composting yourself and top dressing with it a couple times a year. If your whole lawn program is just the corn gluten applications, I think you'll be disappointed.

 

[nocsious3]

One other note. I like some nitrogen in the Spring, but the gluten product label I was reading called for 20lbs of product on 1,000 sq. feet. At 8-10% Nitrogen, that's putting out 2lbs of Nitrogen in one application. I don't care how slow a release that is, 2lbs in one Spring application is too much and will promote disease. Fungus will find a way to use that extra nitrogen.

If you like the sustainability of corn gluten, I don't see a problem with using it or basically any organic fertilizer. You might have better luck spreading out the applications and making them like 1/2 lb Nitrogen after Spring green up and then hit it with another 1/2 lb N a month later. Then when Fall roles around you can go back to a full 1lb N/1000 sq feet. and then another 1lb N a month later. You're wasting money if you put it down after Halloween though because that slow acting stuff will never get released by soil microbes with the colder soil temps.

Last thing. The weed prevention properties are disputed. I was unaware of that but did see some other university testing that couldn't reproduce the Iowa State results so I wouldn't count on it for weed control.

 

[DeereClone]

Why not regular fertilizer? Just curious.

 

[nocsious3]

People chose organics for a variety of reasons. I use both organic and synthetic depending on the lawn issue trying to be resolved, as my primary concerns is great looking turf. In some cases, organics will deliver better long term results in my opinion. You might choose organics for environmental reasons, or maybe your soil already contains too many salts from long term fertilizer use, or maybe you have little organic matter in your soil and you are trying to change the soil over time to make it more productive. Some areas have Phosphorus and other restrictions that might force you to use organics at certain times of the year. You might have run-off fears because your lawn is located right next to a body of water. Perhaps you have access to free compost and it's cheaper for you to use organics, although that is definitely not the norm.