As more and more people are becoming environmentally conscious due to the insane devastation wreaked on the natural world with toxic herbicides, many are looking for natural alternatives for their gardens. This has led many people to wonder – does cornmeal kill weeds?
The origins of this idea are interesting, but the factual evidence doesn’t always line up. In this article, we’re going to explain whether or not cornmeal can be used to kill weeds.
Why Would Cornmeal Kill Weeds?
Cornmeal – or rather, cornmeal gluten – is an agricultural byproduct. It’s the leftover material from the corn milling process.
For the most part, cornmeal gluten is used to feed animals. However, cornmeal gluten has also gained a reputation for being useful as a pre-emergent herbicide.
One of the biggest selling points is that cornmeal is non-toxic, which makes it an appealing alternative for toxic herbicide products.
Another interesting thing to note is that cornmeal is filled with protein and nitrogen, which can make it a useful fertilizer for your lawn. But wait – wouldn’t that make it healthy for weeds?
Does Cornmeal Kill Weeds or Not?
There is some debate as to whether or not cornmeal will actually kill weeds. The shortest answer is that, no, it will not kill living weeds.
One of the original reasons that people thought this was because of a misinterpreted story from Texas A&M. While the ‘research’ didn’t actually conclude that cornmeal killed weeds, people misinterpreted the data and came to this conclusion.
The rumor was then further developed to suggest that cornmeal contained ‘beneficial organisms,’ which could help out a lawn or a garden. This simply isn’t true, and cornmeal doesn’t contain any organisms except for perhaps microbes that could be growing on it.
However, cornmeal can still be useful to help prevent weeds. It is known to work as an effective pre-emergent herbicide. The reason for this is because corn meal has an oily coating that prevents plant roots from forming.
This means that cornmeal gluten can be useful for preventing weeds, but only if it’s applied in the right way at the right time.
Applying Corn Gluten Meal
You need to make sure that you are using corn gluten meal, not regular corn gluten.
You will need to use about 20 pounds of corn gluten meal per 1,000 yards of lawn. After you have distributed the corn gluten meal, then water the lawn. This will help to activate the corn gluten meal and prevent your weeds from taking root.
It’s also important to apply the corn gluten meal at the right time. That means before the weeds take root. For most normal weeds, which sprout in spring and summer, you can use your corn gluten meal in early spring.
Conclusion
Corn gluten meal – which is different from cornmeal – can be used to help prevent weeds from taking root. It’s not an effective post-emergent weed killer, but it can certainly be a useful tool for anyone who is hoping to prevent springtime weeds without relying on toxic chemicals.
