I've just heard about an herbicide called Preen that kills sprouting weeds. I went to their website and they refer to is as organic. They also list all the vegetables that it can be used around. I have a sore back and shoulder and am considering using it. Does anyone have any pros or cons regarding use of Preen. I've recently noticed big containers of it at Costco.
Preen use in the vegetable garden
It's been around for years. It's chemical is Treflan, a grass herbicide. Definitely not organic.
It keeps seeds from sprouting. Some veggies that won't grow in it are lettuce, corn, & anything grassy.
It also is good at carry over. So if you put it on this year, next year it may still be there to kill your veggies.
Ok, I just looked up the web site. Now they are calling a product made of corn gluten meal.
That is organic.
Better read labels on the container very carefully!
Bernie
http://www.preen.com/
Corn gluten meal is fine to use in gardens, but it's effectiveness will vary. A garden with much rain/overhead irrigation will see it less effective than gardens where it is watered in well and then is more dry.
Still, I have a friend who swears by Preen Organic (CGM) while I have tried CGM by itself and found it useless other than for it's contribution to soil nitrogen and we are only 20 miles apart and get the same amount of rain.
I guess what I am saying is CGM isn't toxic or bad for people or plants (It's just an isolated part of corn) and you kinda gotta try it yourself to see how well it works.
We put preen down right after we planted our garden. Although we don't have any regular weeds in the garden, we do have a ton of grass growing in there! Pulling up individual grass shoots is more of a pain than ripping out heftier weeds. I don't know that it's really doing us any good at all.
I've never used CGM but my partner has used it quite a bit. He said you spread it to act as a barrier. Spread it pretty thick, water it, let it dry, do not disturb or weeds will sprout.
Read the package. Preen is not to be used in vegetable beds.
And read the ingredients of organic Preen. It's just Corn Gluten Meal that you are paying 3x the price for.
This message was edited May 27, 2009 10:49 AM
If you apply CGM in the late fall and early spring, it acts as a pre-emergent weed killer. If you do it too late in the spring it acts as a fertilizer for both weeds and grass. You gotta time it just right to get the desired effect.
I used it this year and have had good luck with it. I was overgrown with weeds last year, and even as wet as the wether has been this year, I have had very few weeds.
I was also told that if you use it and what to plant things like lettuce after you apply, to make a small furrow fill it with peat and plant right in the peat. I haven't tried this but it sounds like it will work.