Corn gluten and flower seeds

[Françoise]

Hi,

Last Tuesday, the lawn care company put corn gluten on our lawn. He put it on the flowerbeds as well! Next week, I plan to plant Zinnia, Larkspur, Clarkia and a few other flowers from seeds in some of the beds. I have just learned that, since corn gluten prevents germination of weeds, my seeds may not germinate. Apparently, it will not do any harm to any rooted seedlings.

What can I do now? Should I remove a layer of earth (how much) and replace it with some new earth then plant the seeds? Should I forget about planting any seeds this year? Should I get lots of peat pots and plant them inside under lights or outside?

I am annoyed at the company to have been so careless in applying the corn gluten. It is the first year we have had this product on our lawn.

I would appreciate some answers especially from those who have had some experience with it.

Françoise.

[Pam - gardengal]

First, you should consider yourself very lucky indeed to have an environmentally conscious lawn care company in the first place - they are not easy to come by in this day and age of all too easy chemical garden warfare.

Second, don't sweat it. Start your seeds outdoors (or in, if you haven't passed your last frost date) in seed trays or peat pots. Much easier to monitor germination and control pests and dieases than if you direct sow and you can pick where exactly to plant the seedlings once they are large enough to get planted out. Once they have developed their first set of true leaves, there will be no impact to them from the CG.

pam - gardengal

[Françoise]

Pam, Thank you for your answer. Yesterday, I planted my seeds in peat pots. I am going to plant the pots after the germination had occurred. I also removed, in some spots, some soil replace it with new black earth. I am going to plant seeds directly into the soil among the pots and see if, by doing this some seeds will germinate. I am dying to see it. At least if they do not germinate, I will still get enough flowers in each area. Thanks, Françoise.