What is Corn Gluten Meal?
Corn Gluten meal or CGM is a powdered form byproduct of corn milling during corn syrup production. It is a natural weed and feed fertilizer that is usually used to avoid the growth of crabgrass, dandelions, grass burs, pigweed, knotweed, lambs quarters and other weeds that are from seeds. The key to getting the best results from using this fertilizer is to spread it on the soil before the weed seeds start to grow. CGM is also used in making pet foods, animal feeds, taco shells, and corn chips. The good thing about CGMs is that they don't contain pesticides or synthetic fertilizers that could prove to be harmful to the environment.
When do you apply your CGM fertilizer?
CGM is applied thrice a year on specific seasons for you to be able to maximize its effect. The recommended seasons to apply CGM are during the fall and spring season. Applying CGM during fall helps control the growth of weed roots before winter whereas application during spring will increase the prevention of weed seed germination from the previous fall.
The first application is done during early spring from mid- April (control of crabgrass) to mid- May (to control dandelion). This application is done after the snow has melted.
The second application is done from mid- June to the end of the month which will help in decreasing the weed seeds during late May.
The third application of CGM can be done during late August to stop the weed seeds from germinating if no grass seeds have been put down yet or you can apply it from the middle of September to late October after establishing grass seeds.
What are the three forms of Corn Gluten Meal?
Corn Gluten Meal
GRANULATED: This form is the easiest to apply whenever you decide to use a spreader. It can be made into paste if you mix it with water to be used on weeds as a patch to localize their spread. The patch is responsible for containing the growth of weeds where you've applied it while its surrounding is being filled in with plants.
PELLETIZED: This form can be spread with the use of your hands. The pelletized CGM is an excellent form to be applied on your lawns during fall and spring as treatment. Applying this form will ensure that nutrients are being added to your lawn while the growth of weeds are being prevented.
UNPROCESSED: Unprocessed CGM comes in a fine, almost powdery form. You can apply this on your lawn by hand but using a hand seeder is recommended for best results. After application of this lawn, your lawn would look like you've scattered a layer of pollen on it so it's quite attractive to look at. Remember to apply this directly on your soil or the soil surrounding your plants because it's not able to penetrate through mulch or grass.
