Today I tried something new. I applied some corn gluten meal for weed suppression in my Iris Garden Bed #1. I have already weeded this bed several times since I have planted it.

Have you used this product, and we're you happy with it's results?

What do you do, to keep down the weeds?

I weed and try to plan my planting so it will completely cover the ground. Not in iris beds though... so weeding it is.

Corn gluten acts as a pre-emergent, when the soil temp is good for the weed seeds to germinate (approx 50f) the seedlings dry up. It works on annual weeds only.
I use corn gluten I get from a feed store on my grass, I have approximately 80-90% control of the weeds.
Corn gluten can also contribute a small percentage nitrogen

https://garden.org/ideas/view/...

Rj ~ It was pretty expensive, so I will buy my next bag at a feed store. Even if it reduces the weeds, that will be a plus, as I weed all year, except when it is raining or snowing, or if the weather is just too cold and windy for me. Anything that I can do to reduce the amount of time in weeding, that I could be doing other things will be a positive impact for me.

Evelyn I sent you a message.

Iris are monocots, like grass.

So 2-4D weed killer works just fine.

If you spray the weeds next to an iris, you do not have to worry about drift.

Of course, if you have a grassy weed...

What do I do about them? Curse them then attack with my Cobra Head. Never have been able to get ahead of the weeds enough for a pre-emergent. Darn things grow all year long. Not sure I want to try a weed killer close to them.

Evelyn.. I use Snapshot here it works wonderfully if applied before they germinate and your grade is such that the dirt does not move in heavy rains not sure how big of an area you have but it is sold in 50b bags a application in the spring and late summer keeps most of them at bay. Is twice as much as preen but as the old saying goes you get what you pay for..
DoMyOwnPestControl.com ships for free

I do it the old fashioned way: Gloved hands and a Trowel and actually ungloved hands, if the weed is right up against one of my Irises.
I have only been hard core gardening for 7 years but here is what I learned about weeding: Know you are getting much more than just a clean flower bed. 1). How many equivalents of crutches, squats. curls, etc are you doing out there in the garden.😀 2) Great Stress Releaser. 3) Supposedly getting a bit dirty is good for us. Anyway that's how I convince myself that I am not crazy for doing a job that I will have to so soon again repeat

Elsa ~ I have been doing that too, only I never seem to get caught up. I would like to see everything weeded, even if for just one day. There always seems to be places that I haven't done yet. There are certain sections of the landscape that I haven't done. Like the front by the road, and driveway. Not only weeding, but trimming rosemary, my one (almost) deer-proof shrub, well and also Scotch Broom. That's why I planted so many, but they really look better when they are pruned.

But this year, I am doing the fenced garden area first. Last year the weeds were really tall, due to so many storms. This year I have no excuse, well except that I am still not finished. (Kind'a like the Wack-a-Mole game!)

If you don't know that one, ask Rob about Wack-a-Gopher!

Evelyn: Oh do I know. I still have parts of the yard I refer to as untamed. They grow "stuff" and send unwanted seeds to nearby Iris beds. Every year I take a little bit more of the yard and get it better under control but it's a battle. I am glad you started this thread so I can learn more too.

I will never even try to weed 12 acres. Most of it is left natural except where I have landscaped and the fenced garden area.

In the garden. If it's after 2 or 3 days of rain, I pull them. If the ground is baked crusty from the summer heat, I scrape them. Sometimes I round up them. Sometimes I numerically cull with 2-4D.

Then there's the lawn. I occasionally spot kill with 2-4D. Some years I do not bother. Needless to say, my lawn is not weed free. However, you can hardly tell after a mow:)

Sometimes I load up my sprayer with 2-4D and ride up and down the driveway shooting weeds!

Frank: Very pretty lawn.

Evelyn: No I would not try to weed that either😀

GreenIris said:Frank: Very pretty lawn.

Evelyn: No I would not try to weed that either😀

on both statements.

That's a great driveway Frank!

Driveway is ~1000 feet to the road. Basically, my house is in the middle of a corn field:)

Bet that can be fun doing snow removal during the winter.

Easy to do:)