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Montoursville, PA

Based on general knowlege a one thousand square foot patch needs twenty pounds over a period of two years. After two years you need not apply any more.........unless you have used synthetic fungicides. If you have used fungicides a following treatment, of ten pounds, per year should be enough, to enable rebuilding of the conditons which are better for your plant.

Visable results indicating less fungal appearance should show up meaning less severe attacks, of the milldews.

Corn meal is not a fungicide within itself. It is an element, in the total patch, coupled with manures and composts that build a stronger plant that can better stand up, to the minor milldew attacks or act as a retardent because, of stronger plants.

The strongest report, of results because, of this soil and plant support has come, from Rocky, in Sayer, Pa. who has said he stopped using synthetic fertilizers and adding corn meal, in his package, two years ago. He reports Personal Bests each year since taking this action.

If others have seen what appears, to be worthy soil or plant improvements this would be a nice line, to add comments to, for all of us to see.

4/7/2005 11:28:20 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Dwaine, on your advice I added cornmeal to my patch this year. The young lady at the checkout said "what the heck are you making with all this" to which I felt I had to explain that it was being used in a garden.

If it worked for Rocky, then we better give it a try. The worms sure love it!!

Glenn

4/8/2005 1:37:32 AM

Rocky-r@stny.rr.com

Dwaine and all,

It is amazing this topic is up in the past 24 hours, I am off today, and headed to Agway to buy my cornmeal and Molasses for this years patch! I stopped in to check out the posts this morning and found this corneal thread and it is surely good reading.

I have 2 patches, approximately 1200 and 1400 sq ft, both will get in the neighborhood of about 25 pounds of cornmeal and a good old soaking of molasses. This combo'd addition, as well as the subtraction of all synthetic ferts (20-20-20, 15-30-15, 0-0-60, etc) has helped jack my weights by nearly 10-15 percent in one year. Obivously there is much more to the improvements than just this, but it is part of the equation. Manure and Maple leaves in the fall, tilled and covered with a cover crop of winter rye is my fall prep, Spring prep so far has only been 120 pounds of azomite (60 per patch), todays application of cornmeal and molasses, followed by a good tilling in 2 weeks or so. I also add coffee grounds that the local mini marts are more than happy to save for me, I just have to pick out coffee filters.

Doc hit it right when he talks about the importance of bringing back the worms. Synthetic ferts are loaded with salts that they do not like, driving them (the worms) deep and out of the patch. By adding gypum over time you will leach these synthetics out, adding cornmeal and coffee grounds will bring the worms back, and the molasses will kickstart the microorganisms in your soil, helping convert the soil to be ready for the plant, helping the uptake of nutrients.

It takes time, but you see improvements throughout. Thanks for all the info Doc. I dont use every method that comes down the stream, I pick and choose, creeating my own program that works for me. Reading is essential to figure this out, and it also helps grow some bigger ones!

4/8/2005 7:44:02 AM

Ontario, Canada.

I placed my spring order today for a couple of 25Kg bags of cornmeal. About twenty bucks a bag canadian.

4/11/2005 10:01:55 AM

Selbyville, Delaware

Layer chicken feed contains calcium and runs about 9 bucks per 50 pounds. The worms and my chickens love it.

4/11/2005 10:21:19 AM

York,maine

I am thinking of putting cornmeal and molasses in my patch ,but i'm wondering if this will encourage the ants that i have a problem with

4/17/2005 5:24:26 AM

Connecticut

Any Ant that is attracted to Molasses would do no harm to our pumpkins. Sugar Ants are more a bother than a threat.

4/17/2005 11:24:29 AM

Oz

do you apply the cornmeal direct,,,,
or do you make corn bread first,,,,???,,,,,

4/17/2005 1:55:46 PM

Montoursville, PA

McPumpkin.....when you run the hay through the horse you get less total value, in the manure, because the horse extracted his growing needs, from the hay.

I suspect that if one ran it through a Jack Ass the results would be similar.

4/18/2005 9:53:49 AM

Long Island,New York

Doc...Thats the best line of the week.

4/18/2005 2:50:23 PM

Oz

yawn,

4/20/2005 12:18:08 AM

Midway City, California

What is the ratio of water to molasses and how often should it be used? ==== Thanks John

4/21/2005 6:11:49 PM