Just a few thoughts leading up to a CGM question.

18 years ago

Hi All!

First off Happy Halloween!

Second wasn't it great to have 1/2 day Sat, a Full day Sun, and another 1/2 day today of Sunshine? It sure seemed a long time coming after 3 weeks plus of clouds and rain.

Raked leaves, mowed the lawn, and finally got my last tubers of Dahlias and 4 o'clocks pulled today and will box them tomorrow. Even went fishing in Oneida and Onondaga Lake with our (son's and mine) new boat.

I have a question about Corn Gluten Meal which I decided to use for the first time. I know the organic method takes a little bit more time and effort. I'm really weary of the toxic weed and feed killers as I know they kill more than just weed seeds.

I hate going into the garden shops especially Lowe's, Home Depot and Kmart and the like. The combined smell of those toxins are an instant headache for me if I stay to long. I often wonder how the employees can stand it day after day.

I've always pulled weeds and composted letting them set for about 2 years before spreading in my garden. It never bothered me to take the time to pull them out. I've always felt that they do make good garden soil. I just found out the next best thing to seaweed (which is a weed) for the benefits it can give your soil is the dandelion.

For me a weed is a weed and the worms and all those other little compost critters just love them while they break them down. An if they do make it to the garden soil their so easy to manage and easy to pull out. Plus I do mulch.

I used the CGM because the weeds I had this year seem to get out of hand. I think because of the heat and with the lack of rain it sure made them difficult to dig out of rock hard soil.

But back to my question. I spread with a broadcast spreader as directed. Then a few days later I took notice that the pellets seemed more of a time released as they just didn't disappear. In fact you can still see a few of the pellets yet in some areas where the rain wasn't so heavy.

But last week it was raining so hard for so long I had to take the dog into the backyard on a leash otherwise she'd be a muddy mess. I also noticed that a good amount of the CGM was coated with mold.

Does anyone know if the potency has dampened or possibly destroyed by the mold?

Thanks for taking your time to read the above and if you have an answer.

Jim

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Comments (7)

Dottie B.
18 years ago
I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you, just wondering where you got yours as I have been looking and unable to find any locally.
laurelin
18 years ago
We've used CGM on our lawn for several years (we get it from Gardens Alive), and the rain/mold factor doesn't seem to affect its usefulness. The CGM NEEDS the rain to break down and do its job - when its dry, it just sits there and does nothing.

Laurelin
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cats39
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Laurelin!

Thanks for your reply. I realized it had to break down in the rain but the mold bothered me somewhat.

Adina! I purchased my 50lb. bag at Lee's Feed in Syracuse @ $29.99.

The CGM product Safe n Simple can be found on the web @

http://blueseal.com/

and the 800 # is 367-2730. They're out of NH.

Hope this helps?
Dottie B.
18 years ago
Thanks for the reply. I'm not familiar with Lee's Feed. It's not the one that was on Park St. is it? If so they are now closed, but I will check with some other feed stores. I will need to get some alfalfa for my roses anyway. I am just north of Syracuse myself, so howdy neighbor! Hope you have better luck with dahlia storage this year. I plan on trying to keep some in a cooler this year since I do not have a root cellar either. It should be a good experiment.
cats39
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Adina!

That was the Syracuse Farm Supply on Park. Yes, sadly they closed. Lee's Feed is on the South Side of Syracuse off Seneca Turnpike before you go up the hill to Community Hosp.

Their address is 207 Milburn Drive ph 469-1481

They carry a complete line of Blue Seal Products.

Nice people and very helpful and knowledgeable.

Coming from the N on 81S you'd have to get off at the Brighton Exit #17 and down to Salina St then take a left for about 1 1/2 miles to Seneca Trpk. Take a right to Valley Dr about 3 blocks away, take right on Valley Dr then another 2 blocks to Milburn Dr.

There's a Restaurant on the left hand side just as you turn onto Valley called Luigi's. Good place to stop if your hungry.

Jim
Dottie B.
18 years ago
Thanks Jim - I will check them out.

Dottie
UpstateNYgardener
18 years ago
I appreciate your outlook re: pesticides and herbicides. Finally, studies are showing that chemicals used in facoty farms are showing up in children, and when swithed to an organic diet, the pesticides disappear. That is motivation enough for me. Likewise, I have a Welsh Corgi "helping" in the yard, a dog I dearly love, so why would I knowingly poison his environment? Finally, and I will retire from my organic soapbox, my water source is a shallow well. Pesticides and herbicides would eventually wind up there and, yep, poison me. Organic, whatever form it takes, is the only way to go.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rural Life 2.0