Corn gluten is used for many lawn and garden applications, but the two most popular are as an organic natural fertilizer and as an organic crab grass control or preventative. If you are thinking of using it on your lawn, read this before you start.

What Is Corn Gluten Meal?

Corn gluten meal is a by-product or leftover from when companies make corn starch and corn syrup. When you get it at the store or local garden and lawn center, you will find it in 40 or 50lb bags in pellet or granular form. Overall, it contains around 10% nitrogen. Nitrogen is pretty much the essential nutrient that turns grass green, and corn gluten meal has a very solid and stable amount naturally, making it a GREAT choice for an organic fertilizer.

Is Corn Gluten Meal A Good Organic Fertilizer?

Yes, it is! Corn gluten contains a very nice amount of nitrogen, and because it is organic, it is naturally slow releasing. This means that it feeds the lawn slowly over time, making a nice impact on plant growth without pushing the turf unhealthily. So many of today’s synthetic fertilizers are full of quick release super hydrated nitrogen that pushes the growth of grass plants, almost like giving them a sugar rush that will end in a crash at some point. Organic fertilizers like corn gluten won’t do this.

How Does Corn Gluten Prevent Crab Grass?

Corn gluten meal, when applied early enough in the season, will build up in the soil line and prevent annual crab grass with some fairly good results. The key is you have to get it down just after the snow goes away. If you wait too long, you will not get very good control. I also recommend you NOT apply corn gluten in heavily shaded areas because:

1) crab grass does not usually grow in shady areas

2) the corn gluten will build up in the soil and actually thin out the grass in shaded areas. This grass is weak already from lack of sunlight.