How long can corn meal be stored, and is it necessary to store it at room temperature? If I find a great deal on some but don't need it for 6-8 weeks, can I store the bags in my garage?

It will last until the insects or microbes eat it. Then you will be fertilizing with insect and microbe poop. It's still good fertilizer. Six weeks is nothing.

Thanks David!

what about 6-8 months? I bought a year's worth this January.

it appears to still be uneaten at this point

It depends on how you store it and what insects might already be in it. If you really want to keep the bugs out, freeze it. If you don't have a big enough freezer, freeze a quart of it every night and dump the "treated" meal into a well sealed container.

yeah, I left mine in the garage for a full year and a half and finally put in down this spring (not soon enough probably)

it had mold in it, but I figured, what the heck

can't hurt

will just have to do better next year, but it feels GREAT to not have to worry that a mistake (like using a chemical fertilizer) could torch my grass

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Now you know I am new at this ....is both CMG and corn meal considered a fertilizer as well as weed (CMG)and fungus control (corn meal)?

AND does anyone know if CMG can be used on new sod?

Hi Char,
Corn gluten meal and corn meal are both fertilizers. CGM has more protein in it than corn meal and seems to have a little more boost to the color and growth rate. I like corn meal.

You can use either one on new sod.

We're getting a little off the original topic but here goes.

With organic fertilizers, your wallet is the limiting factor. I know people who miscalculated their acreage and ended up applying soy bean meal (very high in protein) at 100 pounds per 1,000 square feet, five times a year, with no ill effects. In fact, they have incredible lawns!! As far as the soil and grass are concerned, you cannot fertilize too much with organics.

There are three things that naturally control weeds in your turf. Water, mowing height, and fertilizer.

1. Water deeply and infrequently. This approach allows the soil surface to dry out between waterings. I realize Mother Nature will have her say in this but you do not need to encourage wet soil by watering more frequently. Wet soil is what weed seeds need to germinate.

2. Set your mower to the highest setting and weld it in place. St Augustine NEVER needs to be mowed lower than the highest setting. EVER. If you do not weld it in place, someone, some day, will come along and borrow your mower. They will reset it to a lower setting and you will scalp your yard. Tall grass also discourages weeds. You will never have a dandelion with tall St Augustine.

3. Fertilize regularly. I see you plan to do that and your choice of corn meal is excellent. By following the above two steps and fertilizing monthly with corn meal (a weaker preemergent material), you should never see weeds again.

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Thank YOU so much!

I am printing this one.

just dont let dry molasses sit for a while, otherwise you just have a big heavy rock

I am anti dry molasses for that reason and that it is too expensive. A 50 pound bag of dry molasses contains 15 pounds of wet molasses (about a gallon and a half) and 35 pounds of corn cobs or rice hulls. If you bring your own container to the local farm and ranch co-op, you can get a gallon of bulk molasses for about a dollar. Spray it on with a hose end sprayer or mix it in water. If you spray it with an Ortho dial type sprayer, pull the metal screen off the bottom of the tube and it will flow nicely. If you would rather dilute it first, then dilute it with milk instead of water. Milk is magic.