Question
I live in a house with a two acre property. I have a lawn service that is doing the traditional steps for lawn care. Last year I started to be concerned about the products they were using and their safety. I used to feel that if I was not putting these down, it was not a problem. Now I am having second thoughts. I did a lot of reading over the winter and I understand that Cornmeal is available as a weed killer. I would like to know where I can buy this in my area that would not be by mail order. I just like to pick things up at the store.  I think the lawn service will put down anything I tell them to so I am going to probably start with this. Please tell me where I would buy it locally anywhere in the Atlanta area as I am willing to drive there to get it.  Eric

Answer
Surrounded by weeds, you now realize they are invading your lawn.  You want to take control of the wild kingdom and erase weeds with the least amount of trouble and $$.

A big dose of Corn Gluten at just the right time in the Spring, Mid-Summer and again in the Fall will erase your annual chickweed, smooth pigweed, large crabgrass, goosegrass and giant foxtail.  And all the others.

That allows your war on weeds to be earth- and people-friendly -- important because you are, after all, living in the middle of this field of dreams.  You don't want to inhale weed-killer every time you breathe; you don't want the kids tracking it into the house and rolling in it outside; you don't want your pets to eat grass dosed, even a little bit, with poison.

The perfect season for putting down Corn Gluten Powder Pre-Emergent Weed Killer is right around the corner. Researchers at Iowa State have discovered that Corn Gluten is so effective, they have patented it and license its use.

Corn Gluten Powders are made under license from the inventors as a pre-emergent.  Here is a link to the list of approved licensees:

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~isurf/tech/cgmwebsite.html).

In the Atlanta region you can buy it off the shelf from many garden centers.  A list of 'Safe Lawn' (http://www.cornglutenmeal.com/) retailers can be obtained by emailing the distributor, [email protected], or calling them at 877-787-7827 toll free.

'Organic WEEDZSTOP' is made by the Fertrell Company (http://www.fertrell.com/), whose organic fertilizers and amendments are sold at the Country Gardens Nursery, 3728 Lower Fayetteville Road, Newnan GA 30265 (770)251-2673.  Call first to make sure they have Weed Ban in stock.

The 'Preen' line of products is NOT organic, but they do make one -- 'Preen Vegetable Garden Weed Control' -- that is based on Corn Gluten.  NONE OF ITS OTHER PRODUCTS IS ORGANIC.  These are sold at Atlanta Costco, Home Depot, Sam's Club, Kmart, Lowe's, Target and Wal-Mart stores.

'Supersoil Garden Guardian Mulch', which is Corn Gluten Based, is sold at Lowe's stores across Georgia.

You can also order online from most of the licensees listed.  I use 'WOW Plus!' from Gardens Alive (www.gardensalive.com) but there are scores of others equally effective.

Apply when the Forsythia starts to bloom in your neighborhood.  Make sure you pick a dry day or it won't work properly.

The good science behind the Corn Gluten is posted by Iowa State at its Corn Gluten Meal Research website (www.gluten.iastate.edu).

Remember, you cannot use Corn Gluten on recently sown grass -- this stuff interrupts ALL seed germination.  Like contact weedkillers, no pre-emergent will work on the Dandelions dancing around today on your lawn.

These measures will just AVOID weeds you don't already have.  Annual weeds fall into this category.

Note: Lawn grass and weeds do not like the same kind of soil.  Most Weeds LOVE Acid soil.  Most Turfgrass LOVES Alkaline soil.  A soil test will give you a good pH read, but it could also explain why your grass is not strong enough to choke out all those weeds.  My guess is that all those chemicals you applied over the years wrecked the soil structure and the soil foodweb, leaving your grass defenseless.

At the very least, a big dose of lime in the soil right now will raise the pH enough to weaken weeds while your grass builds up.  Compost dressing will start the recovery.  And when you (or your designated service) mow your lawn this year, leave the clippings on the grass; this returns nutrients to the soil and builds up a nice rich topsoil.  Bet your lawn service never did that, did they?

To strengthen your grass, don't apply Nitrogen.  You want to build up the soil, and you want your grass to perform the best that is genetically possible.

The Better Lawn and Grass Institute
(www.turfgrasssod.org/lawninstitute/guide.html) points out: "Proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing practices develop a lawn that needs less chemicals to control weed,
insect, and disease problems.  This is particularly true when you have established your lawn with improved grass varieties."

Let's read that again: "This is particularly true when you have established your lawn with improved grass varieties."

The fancier your grass, the more important it is to mow at the right height.  Remember that, Eric.  It's not just about frequency, it's about length.  Since you're keeping the grass you have, you want to make sure it is big, strong, and growing its best.

What kind of grass is growing between the weeds?  You can't grow a first rate lawn from second rate seed.  Rye? Fescue? Bluegrass? Bentgrass?  Zoysia?  It's important to know that answer, because the kind of grass you have is going to determine how high it should be mowed.

There are plenty of bad things you can buy for your lawn, and they are popular because marketing is so effective and very, very profitable.  95 percent of the lawns in this country are drenched with things like Round-Up and Weed-B-Gone.  Biggest use is in the boondocks by people who don't know a pH from a PhD.

I apologize for the long and painfully detailed answer here.  It is a complicated problem, and you have posed a timely question.  If you act right away, you can solve your annual weeds problem cheaply and safely.  When you need further guidance, I'm here.