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Questions and Answers:Q. I’ve heard that a product called corn gluten meal will help keep weeds out of my yard. What is it , where can I get it, and when should it be applied? A. Apply corn gluten meal at the rate of 20 pounds per 1000 square feet in the March or early April for spring weed control and again in August to control winter weeds. Corn gluten meal is a by-product of commercial corn milling that contains the protein fraction of the corn. It will prevent seeds from germinating but will not stop perennial weeds from sprouting. However, because many perennial weeds are short lived and give off lots of seeds you should see complete elimination of all weeds by the fourth or fifth year of consistent use. In addition to weed control, the application of corn gluten meal will eliminate the need to apply nitrogen to the yard as it is a natural plant product that enriches the soil as it decays. It will not supply the needed amounts of phosphorous or potassium, so you will need to get your soil tested at least every two years to be sure everything that the lawn needs is available for healthy growth. If you are applying corn gluten meal to a vegetable garden, be sure the plants are actively growing before applying as spreading it around new transplants could stunt their growth. Trying to find corn gluten meal is difficult because the price is a little higher than chemical pre-emergent fertilizers and storage is difficult because it attracts everything that likes ground corn. You might try a farm store or grain store. Q. I’ve got aphids on everything in my vegetable garden. They started on my melons and soon spread throughout. Is there anything organic that I can use to control them? A. One tablespoon of a gentle soap such as Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap per quart of water sprayed on the underside of leaves on a cool morning or cloudy day will kill aphids by washing off their protective waxy coating and allowing them to dry out. It won’t kill all the aphids, but it might decrease the population to the point that the natural enemies of aphids can take over. If you find a plant consumed by aphids, it is best to remove it from the garden or trim it back severely. Once a plant becomes crowded with aphids, they will begin to move to other plants where they can drain the juices of the plant and weaken it. Lady beetles love aphids, but my experience is that although they are an important part of the organic gardening experience, they are no match for the millions of aphids that can appear overnight in a melon or squash patch. Some people use soap such as ivory or dawn, but test an area first and remember, you will need to go down the row, turn over every leaf, and apply. I use an inexpensive spray bottle rather than a garden sprayer to get more accurate coverage. Don’t apply on a hot sunny day and spray the underside of the leaves with water 2-3 hours after application so there is no chance the soap will burn the plants. Don’t add more soap than required to the water or you will kill your plants quickly. Q. When can I begin dividing my perennial plants such as phlox and cone flower? A. Divide most spring blooming perennials by digging and carefully pulling apart the plants once the weather cools off in the fall. Fall blooming perennials should be divided in the spring or once they become dormant during warmer weather.
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