# cornmeal for brown patch?



## redexpress

Have any of y'all heard about using cornmeal for brown patch? Has anyone used it? Did it work? 
I was googling brown patch and came across this:
http://www.natureswayresources.com/DocsPdfs/brownpatch.pdf


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## Muddskipper

yes I did it .... and it works !

Keep in mind it is not an over night fix, and takes some time, but the grass has come back in the area healthier, and stronger. So it can fend pest. and disease.

Here is something I pulled off the net we all need to read

*Identify the Problem*​_Before considering what control measure to use, identify_
_what is harming your plants. Keep in mind that insect_
_infestations and diseases are often not the main problem, but_
_rather a symptom of stress caused by poor growing conditions_
_such as sterile or compacted soils, nutrient deficiencies,_
_too much or too little moisture, or a poorly adapted plant for_
_the climate or the particular landscape conditions. Simply_
_correcting the stressful condition may control the pest and_
_prevent further infestations. Your county extension office,_
_local nurseries, and gardening books can help you diagnose_​_your landscape problems._

The corn meal will keep he benifical things in the soil and help the grass fend off the bad things. It will also keep anything esle from hatching. Therefore stoping the continues life cycle. So it will take some time

Because we are going into the winter season, you will proably not see the results of anyhitng you use until Spring. SO don't freck out .... let nature do it's things


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## Pocketfisherman

I have heard of Corn Gluten (which is a concentrated extract from corn meal) being used as a pre-emergent to keep weed or other seeds from sprouting. But I have not heard of it being used for brown patch. Brown patch is usually fungal in nature meaning it responds well to fungicides containing copper compounds.


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## Meadowlark

Cornmeal is effective as a fungicide in ponds to reduce algae...so presumably it should also work on the fungus called brown patch.


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## baytownboy

Cornmeal, WHITE or YELLOW?
I have always used Tide soap, then water good.


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## redexpress

The brown patch hit me hard earlier this fall. I used consan and PCNB and even soap, nothing has knocked it down. I turned the sprinkler system off last week. I think it has been getting too much water. I'm probably going to try cornmeal but not sure if it would be worth it this time of year or just wait until spring. Guess it can't hurt??
For anyone that used it...did you buy it at a feed store or where?


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## Muddskipper

If you have already hit it with consan, the corn meal is going to have very litle effect ....

you basically killed the good things that could of helped ..... I recenlty have learned this .... and I have made the mistake as well

I would let it be, and let nature work it self out ....

Try to stay away from any winterizer other than Micro life ...

Micro life makes a brown patch and fertilizer as well ...

give it a month, and let the chemicals disapate ...


Hit it with the Micro life one day when it's warm .... or just wait until March and use it then ....

BTW
you can but the cornmeal at a feed store ...as well as corn glutimen .... its a good pre-emergent to use in a month for sporing weeds we don't want to come up


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## redexpress

I looked at the MicroLife website, it sounds good. Might try the Brown Patch treatment.


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## rbt2

the way it works(?) as told to me by a Ph.D in plant pathology at tamu, whose a good friend of mine: it doesn't actually "work" as a fungicide. what it does is attract the natural fungal "enemy" of the fungal disease that you are trying to control. the down side is this: is you apply the cornmeal, and it "attracts" the "wrong" fungus, then you will be in worse shape than what you are already in. it's better to identify the fungal disease you've got, then apply a fungicide (at label rates) to control the disease.

just my .02 worth (from a buddy who knows all about this kind of stuff)...

rbt2


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## elcoyote

I have been in landscaping for about 13 years, and until 2 years ago, I had not heard of this method, but my then landlord told me about using it. He swore by it. Being an old farmer, and being German, he was inherently cheap. He told me that since cornmeal is expensive in bulk, that he went to the local feed store and bought cracked corn in a 50# sack (chicken feed, basically). It took it a while to break down, but once it did, his brown spot was gone.


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## redexpress

rbt2: I don't know how to identfy which fungus I have other than "brownpatch" and a few "fairy rings". Further, how do you identify which enemy fungus you want the cornmeal to attract, and prevent the undesirable ones from growing? I've already applied all the different fungicides I could buy within 50 miles. I'm going looking for cornmeal soon.
elcoyote: thanks for the info.


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## rbt2

the best way to identify the fungus is to contact your local county agent and get him/her to come out and identify it (possibly by sending a sample to the plant pathology lab in college station). there, they will identify the fungal disease, and recommend a treatment plan.

rbt2


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## castaway300

Remember once you have Brown Patch in a area,if the climatic conditions are right it will come back every year. You cant cure brown patch, you can prevent it and you can stop it.
castaway300


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