I use corn gluten for pre emergence & was hooked after the first time I used it. The stuff is fantastic. It works like a charm. I use it in areas where I don't want any weeds growing. I apply it by hand. I have a bed with mulch & then pathways with stepping stones & mulch around them. I get rid of any weeds & then sprinkle the corn gluten & moisten it, then put my mulch down.
My only problem is that the dog smells it & if I turn my back for one second, she goes digging the mulch up to eat the corn gluten. After about 2 months I guess the smell goes away and she no longer tries to get to it to eat it.

Does it really smell terrible for a long time, Ann? I'd love to use this to keep the pathways weed-free at the school garden. But if it smells terrible in the garden the kids won't want to come, they have very sensitive noses.

Even had trouble getting them to dig in the alfalfa pellets because of the smell. Then we had a contest to see if we could bury every single pellet (so they wouldn't smell) and that made it fun.

dyzzypyxxy said:Does it really smell terrible for a long time, Ann? I'd love to use this to keep the pathways weed-free at the school garden. But if it smells terrible in the garden the kids won't want to come, they have very sensitive noses.

Even had trouble getting them to dig in the alfalfa pellets because of the smell. Then we had a contest to see if we could bury every single pellet (so they wouldn't smell) and that made it fun.

Elaine,

When I've had the smell, it only lasted for a few days...smells like someone having a kegger.

dyzzypyxxy said:Does it really smell terrible for a long time, Ann? I'd love to use this to keep the pathways weed-free at the school garden. But if it smells terrible in the garden the kids won't want to come, they have very sensitive noses.

Even had trouble getting them to dig in the alfalfa pellets because of the smell. Then we had a contest to see if we could bury every single pellet (so they wouldn't smell) and that made it fun.

I only smelled it a little -- wasn't bad -- for a few days. It's the DOG who has the golden sniffer ESPECIALLY for anything that might conceivably be construed as FOOD. She's a chow hound! If she thinks she can eat it, she's ON it!

I use corn gluten and found the smell very mild. I suspect if you put it out on a Friday and watered it in the scent would be gone by Monday.