Say your peace.

Please contribute constructive ideas, and lend your perspective to the discussion. Be creative! Be thoughtful! Be a part of the larger community by giving of your time and sharing your vision for greener city strees. Participate by putting forth new approaches in outer spaces.

Weed it AND feed it!

Corn gluten meal (CGM) is a natural substitute for synthetic pre-emergence herbicides. Pre-emergence herbicides attack seeds while they're still in the ground, before the seedlings emerge from the soil. CGM is a by-product of commercial corn milling that contains the protein fraction of the corn. Its use poses no health risk to people or animals. In fact, because it is 60% protein, corn gluten meal is used as feed for cattle, poultry, fish, and dogs. In addition to the 60% protein, corn gluten meal is 10% nitrogen, by weight.

The use of corn gluten meal as an herbicide was discovered during turfgrass disease research conducted at Iowa State University. CGM was observed to prevent grass seeds from sprouting. Further research has shown that it also effectively prevents other seeds from sprouting, including seeds from many weeds such as crabgrass, chickweed, and even dandelions.

Corn gluten meal is effective only against seeds, not existing plants. Annual weeds that are already up and growing will not be killed by products made of corn gluten meal. They'll die on their own, though, by the end of autumn. But most of the seeds they produce later in the season shouldn't sprout - provided you've applied the CGM properly and at the correct time. Crabgrass, foxtail, purslane, and prostrate pigweed are examples of annual weeds found in lawns.

Existing perennial weeds such as quackgrass, plantain, and dandelions won't be damaged by CGM, either. And, they'll still come back from one year to the next because their roots survive most winters. What corn gluten meal will do is stop the seeds they shed each summer, so the population of these particular weeds won't increase. In fact, because some will die of "natural" causes, their numbers should actually decrease after several years of consistent CGM use.

Application:
Corn gluten meal is available in powdered and pelletized forms, both of which work equally well. The pelletized form is easier to use, though. Apply corn gluten meal first in late April/early May, then a second time around mid-August. Spread the product evenly, at a rate of twenty pounds per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Water it lightly into the soil in order to activate it. The CGM should remain effective for five to six weeks each time you apply it.

Most annual and perennial weed seeds sprout in spring or early summer, but there are a number of "winter annuals" that may sprout either in spring or fall. Chickweed, shepherd's purse, and speedwell (Veronica) are examples of winter annuals that may be found growing in lawns. When these seeds sprout in fall, their roots live over winter, giving them a head start the following spring. By the end of that growing season, they die, just like other annuals. Because of these winter annuals, you should apply corn gluten meal to the lawn in late summer as well as early spring.

Results of using CGM on lawns
Don't expect to see instant results from using corn gluten meal. Every consecutive year you apply CGM - assuming proper timing and rate - should give you better results than the year before. By the fourth year, weed control should be very good.

When you use corn gluten meal you are also fertilizing the lawn, which encourages it to grow thicker and help exclude weeds. Applying CGM at the recommended rate of twenty pounds per 1,000 square feet, twice a year, gives your lawn a total of four pounds of nitrogen annually - more than enough to meet its needs. Corn gluten meal does not supply phosphorus or potassium, however. You should have your soil tested periodically to see if either nutrient should be added, and in what amount. Contact your local county Extension office for more information or visit the University's Soil Testing Lab web site, http://soiltest.coafes.umn.edu.

Garden applications
Corn gluten meal may be used safely in gardens around established perennial plants, to keep weed seeds from sprouting. It can also be used after transplants have been in the soil long enough to have "taken hold." Follow label recommendations for application rates. Wait until seedlings are up and growing well before applying corn gluten meal to flower or vegetable gardens where seeds were sown directly into the soil. CGM will stop most seeds from germinating.

The Downside [which isn't as much of an issue in New Mexico]:
Potential problems with corn gluten meal stem from the fact that extensive moisture and microbial soil activity can reduce its effectiveness. You can control how much you water right after applying CGM, but you can't control rainfall. Sometimes seeds that had been prevented from forming roots can "outgrow" the problem.

Another potential drawback is price and availability. While it is becoming more readily available, corn gluten meal is still significantly more costly compared to other pre-emergence herbicides. Check places that sell garden supplies, farm stores or county co-ops that sell seed and grain for hobby farms, and some stores that specialize in selling food for wild birds. [Gardeners'Guild now has corn gluten back in stock at a 20% discount for members! No worries here.]

This article was authored by Jean Galligan, Horticulture Technician and Deborah Brown, Extension Horticulturist from the University of Minnesota.

COMMENTARY: urbiphytes unite!

Searching for a very basic way to explain ‘xeric’ to recent transplants (people), an older edition dictionary led me to another word: “Xerophyte, a plant structurally adapted for life and growth with a limited water supply esp. by means of mechanisms that limit transpiration or that provide for the storage of water”. Also listed were xerophilious. xerophytic. xerothermic. and xeric. All are fantastic words that describe plants and touch on two key ideas: low water use and their ability to have adapted to extreme conditions. While the dryer conditions described in Webster’s definitions were expected, the specific focus on ‘adaptation’ was somewhat of a surprise.

Growing up as a city girl, and east of the Mississippi, the laws of nature that rule in the desert were so foreign. Having been here now for 15 years, I still recall that living in New Mexico didn’t seem that different from living on the moon. But over time, adapting to dryer conditions has been a positive – though initially reluctant – process of learning to appreciate the more subtle qualities of a desert existence. The delicate landscape has become a source of inspiration and a cause for rejuvenation, where seasons are not tortuous but opportunities to experiment. It occurred to me how I had gone through the very same process as that plant type to which Webster referred. The ideas of change and adaptation can be so challenging that it is easy to forget the great rewards that accompany such transformations.

As coordinator of a new membership-based not-for-profit supporting challenged urban gardeners, this concept of welcoming change and encouraging adaptation (creativity) is a key to reaching disenfranchised urbanites, ie. those who have lost connection with their true environment. Finding a clear and simple (not simplified) way to explain all things gardening is critical, and must demonstrate importance to their quality of life. At Gardeners’Guild, we feel that if citizens understand the reality of growing populations in their environments, more will act with these concerns in mind. Visited by many curious tourists and gardeners who have recently relocated to the area from more moist climates, a few words of careful encouragement with the most basic of drought-conscious growing tips can carry the arid climate novice pretty far. And as a person who has found plants later in life, I can attest to the role an individual can make to spark an interest, and trigger dramatic changes in our communities. At Gardeners’Guild we are rewarded with cognitive light bulbs on a regular basis. My point? When it comes to gardening, as individuals, we can make a difference. And I’ve learned that like myself, each person is potential for a new plant and a better quality of life.

It's 55 outside...

Do you know where your houseplants are?
Who lived outdoors for the summer? Don't forget to bring them in! Check for bugs, and don't water right away after moving them inside. This gives your plants a chance to adjust to the new conditions. Do avoid placing plants near heating vents, and reposition any of those inside that may be in a draft. All plant appreciate being raised from the floor, even a couple of inches. This reduces bug problems from dry, dusty conditions and prevents accidental damage to your floors.
Don't be fooled by weird, warm weather!

Ask Fearless Weeder.

As a service to the public, Gardeners'Guild provides direct access to folks who will answer your questions about urban and extreme gardening. We can help! or find someone else with an answer.