Green Talk®

Whole Body, Healthy Home, and Sustainable Garden Inspiration

  • About
    • Press
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
  • New Here?
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Hire Me
  • 5 Reasons to Subscribe!
  • Build Green
  • Gardening
  • Green Business
  • Green Living
  • Green Home
  • Recycling
  • Tech

Banish Crabgrass with Corn Gluten: Three Times a Charm

April 14, 2009 By: Anna9 Comments

Corn Gluten to banish crabgrass naturally

Corn Gluten Pellets.

For three years I have used different form of corn gluten with different success rates to kick the butt of crabgrass.  Why corn gluten? Corn gluten is a more natural product to get rid of my crabgrass. I am anti-pesticide and come August,  my lawn looks more like a bad haircut rather than a field of dreams. Crabgrass is down right ugly.

Three years to the day started my odyssey with corn gluten. How did it all begin? After several conversations with Dr. Nick Christians, the developer of this natural pre-emergence weed control, I was ready to break out my spreader and give corn gluten a whirl.  Armed with an immense amount of information about corn gluten, I was like the Highlander, ready to chop off the heads of my crabgrass.  At the end of the day, “there only can be one”,  as the Highlander would say.  That would be me, not the crabgrass.

Worse comes to worse, I knew that the corn gluten was a great fertilizer so I would be attempting to chop off two heads with one sword, so to speak.

Unfortunately, I never discussed with Dr. Christians the difference between animal feed corn gluten,which is like dust, and pellets sold by such makers as WOW!®, Concern and  Jonathan Green Organic Weed Control.  The cost of a 40lb bag of  pellets is about $50, and covers about 4000 square feet. I have over two acres of open land, which I have slowly been carving away at to create beds of shrubs and perennials. I could not afford to buy 20 plus bags of the pellets, and settled for 50lb bags of animal feed at slightly less than half the price of the 40 lb bags.

The first year that I used the animal feed, I was covered with corn gluten dust.  As I walked with spreader, some of it would just float in the air.   According to Dr. Christians, it takes almost three years for the eliminate of your crabgrass.  The first year, my lawn looked exactly the same as the year before. Full of crabgrass.

corn

(Concern Pellets being spread on my lawn.)

The next year, I tried using half animal feed on one part and Concern Weed Prevention Plus pellets on the other half. (See my article and pictures from last year.) My local gardening supply shop had it on sale for $19/25 lb bag.  The pellets were so much easier to spread and I did not smell like chicken soup or look like a yellow ghost.

Did I see a difference?  I noticed that the pellet side looked a lot more lush and not as much crabgrass. The animal feed side looked the same as prior years.

A spreader full of corn gluten ready to banish crabgrass naturally

This year, we bite the bullet and waited until the pellets went on sale and bought a ton of bags.  I went through the 25 lbs. bags like water.

As I was writing this article, I checked back on the Iowa State University of Horticulture website to see if there was more information about corn gluten.  Sure enough there was an article entitled “Get the Real Thing” about the use of animal meal versus the “real” corn gluten product.  It stated:

In recent years, we have seen an increased substitution of corn gluten feed and distillers grain for real corn gluten meal. This is often sold at feed stores or local garden stores. These products are not the real thing. They are not corn gluten meal and they will not work. If you want real corn gluten meal, be sure that you are buying from a licensed dealer or someone who is carrying product from a licensed dealer. For a list of these licensed dealers, go to http://tinurl.us/b6b48f [shorten to fit on Green Talk.]

Now they tell me. Where was this article when I originally used animal feed three years ago?  In addition, the website now includes Dr. Christian’s  “how to use” corn gluten article along with various other corn gluten articles . (Personally, I think my first corn gluten article explained how to use corn gluten better than the short primer on the website.)

I would be remiss for not telling you that corn gluten is a genetically modified corn product.  I personally do not put it in my vegetable garden although Dr. Christians thinks the product is safe for this use.  Plus, you can not seed for a period of  6 weeks after you apply corn gluten.  Nothing will grow in that area.

In August, when crabgrass try to rear its ugly head, we will see who is the last one standing…

Similar Posts:

  • Corn Gluten to Prevent Crabgrass. It is Time to Use!
  • Corn Gluten: Extremely Crabby about Crabgrass
  • Corn Gluten–Can Animal Food K’O Crabgrass?
  • Natural Weed Killers. Learn What Works.
  • Give Your Lawn a Compost Shot

Grow From Seed Mini Course

Grow From Seed Mini Course

About Anna

Anna Hackman is the editor of Green Talk, and owner of The Naked Botanical and a avid (okay obsessed) gardener. She also loves video and podcasting and hosts Green Talk TV and Green Talk Radio. Her most important role is being a mother of four boys.

Chat with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , and Google+.

Comments

  1. 1

    Chicago Hospitals says

    April 14, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    Very interesting. I’ve been trying to stray away from the pesticides the past few years. I definitely try this out. Best of luck to you and your battle against crabgrass.

    Reply
  2. 2

    chicago business school says

    April 15, 2009 at 11:45 am

    I’m definitely going to have to try this to get my lawn looking good.

    Reply
  3. 3

    Green Grrls says

    April 16, 2009 at 10:09 am

    OOOOO — thanks you for the info! The Grrls have horrible crabgrass in our yard, and we hate to use chemicals.

    Green Grrls

    http://www.greengrrlsecoadventure.com

    Reply
  4. 4

    Jackie says

    September 7, 2009 at 5:37 pm

    I read the comments on Crab grass and the information was very informative. However, I have a big problem with crabgrass. We had topsoil delivered from a gardening place last year and it was full of crabgrass. We did not know it at the time. When we returned from holidays, our lawn was full of the purple straw like grass. I dug up every piece of crab grass last fall, only it returned again this year. We have a well and septic system on our property and I am really concerned about what product to use to get rid of this crabgrass. I live in eastern Canada and I have no idea where to buy this corn gluten product. As well, I was wondering, if I hired someone with an excavator to dig it up, remove and re-sod, would this work? Finally, the crabgrass is in my flower gardens. Can I use this corn gluten in my gardens? Thanks for the information. Any other information would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks Jackie

    Reply
    • 5

      Green Talk says

      September 8, 2009 at 3:56 pm

      Jackie, crabgrass is an annual weed. Digging up your soil is not going to stop the crabgrass. I also read it corn gluten does not work in your beds. Alot of the online stores carry it such as Gardens Alive. In addition, I found the following link for you.

      http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/product.asp?PG=1436

      Readers, has anyone tried this product, TurfMaise? Anna

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Zoysia Lawn Seeds says:
    April 14, 2009 at 5:35 pm

    […] Banish Crabgrass with Corn Gluten: Three Times a Charm | Green Talk? By Green Talk As I walked with spreader, some of it would just float in the air. According to Dr. Christians, it takes almost three years for the eliminate of your crabgrass. The first year, my lawn looked exactly the same as the year before. … Green Talk? – http://www.green-talk.com/ […]

    Reply
  2. Banish Crabgrass with Corn Gluten Three Times a Charm Green Talk | bean bag chairs says:
    June 13, 2009 at 8:33 pm

    […] Banish Crabgrass with Corn Gluten Three Times a Charm Green Talk Posted by root 3 minutes ago (http://www.green-talk.com) Apr 14 2009 the cost of a 40lb bag of pellets is about 50 and covers about 4000 square feet leave a comment name e mail website powered by feedblitz my mobile feed gray matters middot green bean dreams middot green building law blog get smart with the the Discuss  |  Bury |  News | Banish Crabgrass with Corn Gluten Three Times a Charm Green Talk […]

    Reply
  3. Corn Gluten--Can Animal Food KO Crabgrass? | Green Talk® says:
    February 14, 2012 at 10:10 am

    […] Banish Crabgrass with Corn Gluten.  Three Times a Charm. […]

    Reply
  4. Corn Gluten to Prevent Crab Grass. It is Time to Use! says:
    April 9, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    […] Don’t bother with corn gluten, the feed.  It doesn’t work and you will be covered in corn gluten dust by the end of the day!  Use only the pellets.  Read why you should use only pellets here. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Shop from Anna’s Farm– The Naked Botanical– Farm Fresh Teas, Salts & Body Products

The Naked Botanical Click HERE

Save Money By Growing Your Plants Indoors.

Three Must Have Equipment "

Grab My Free Mini Course

Connect with Me

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Popular Posts

  • Organic Color Systems: Wash those Grays Away with a Safer Hair Color

  • Coffee Grounds in the Garden: Friend or Foe?

  • Celery Leaves: Cook or Discard them?

  • Freeze Cucumbers & Learn How to Use Them.

  • Hydrogen Peroxide + Ears = Bye to Colds. A Remedy that Works

  • Orange Peel Vinegar Cleaner. Make Your Own Green Cleaner

  • 15 Ways to Recycle or Repurpose Your Underwear

Recent Posts

  • How to Grow Grains in a Small Garden
  • Proper Lighting to Grow Seeds Indoors.
  • Gone Vegan: And Loving My New Life
  • Sleep On Latex: A Healthier Mattress to Sleep Better
  • Eco-Friendly Multi-Use Yard Living. Eat and Enjoy.

Popular Posts

  • Organic Color Systems: Wash those Grays Away with a Safer Hair Color

  • Coffee Grounds in the Garden: Friend or Foe?

  • Celery Leaves: Cook or Discard them?

RSS Green Talk TV

  • Hibiscus in the high tunnel and some discoveries I found.
  • Turmeric indoor sowing time!
  • Short snippet of creating a rose hydrosol
  • Elderberry, more uses than just for health
  • The Naked Botanical's Gift Boxes

Copyright Green Talk © 2025 · Website Designed by Clever Kiwi