I ran across an article mentioning using cornmeal as a fungicide for black spot on roses and as a cure for toenail fungus, too. Has anybody used it this way or even heard of using it this way. I had to look up where to go get horticultural grade cornmeal and the answers I found were to go to the feed mill and get feed supplement cornmeal or ground corn, but do not ask for horticultural grade as you will pay a premium price for the term/label. I should mention that the cornmeal was put into water and strained to make the fungicide for the roses. For your feet it didn't need to be strained, just a slurry of the mix.It can be mixed into the soil for added benefit for the soil and to help control fungus there too.
On our local Phoenix CBS TV Station the Expert ( Dave the Garden Guy ) has been telling us for years to use Corn Gluten sprinkled on the ground before it rains for weed control. Also use Corn Meal for Ant Control but that only made our Ants fatter, didn't have to hunt for food. Have never tried the Corn Gluten since it always blows at least 30mph before a storm and often does not rain so it would be wasted.
I heard about this cornmeal killing ants. Is it a MYTH? I was just thinking about using it... found an ant hill around my Lavanda.
calin, I have no idea. I have heard it does and I have heard the ants just got fatter. Perhaps it has to do with a specific type of cornmeal or ground corn. the corn meal I am referring to in my question is more of a whole ground corn. Maybe this works in a different way than the cornmeal you buy in the store for consumption. in the picture I saw, the cornmeal didn't look like what we purchase to eat, it looked almost flaky. Check out Youtube for any information on the ants and cornmeal. I have also heard of using INSTANT grits. (Do you have those available there? I think it is more of a southern food from the USA. even I don't think of them to purchase or make. I have never made them. I have eaten them, but I think they were very bland and needed a lot of doctoring to make them tasty)
LOL... i've read some other threads on other forums about ways to kill ants. hillarious. Instant grits. Didn't know the English word. Is this part of the milling wheat process???? Then we have it, and used to love it boiled in milk and sugar added and sprinkled with some cocoa on top. YUM. Also same goes for rice. Sorry ants... will eat all the grits myself!
Maybe someone else knows for sure, but I think that grits are a corn product, not wheat. I think what you are referring to is known as cream of wheat or farina, maybe.
Grits are made from hominy corn... not the "regular old" yellow corn. We have so many fire ant beds that I'm going broke trying to kill them. Should would be nice to have some so cheap and simple that would work. And this has absolutely nothing to do with this topic, but I have a a little funny story... My mom had a recipe for cookies using instant oatmeal. She accidentally used instant grits! :-D
I have read that Ants can not completely digest cornmeal or grits and will eventually die from the build up of fiber in their digestive system. I have read that sprinkling cornstarch around the mound will work the same way.
I think I feel a "Jerry-experiment" coming on. I'm going to pick out a couple of mounds and see if this really works.
Well, mine has a lavanda plant on top of the mould. what if I keep watering the lavanda. won't ants get tired of all the swimming and just leave?
Calin, I don't think they will move on any time soon. I would eradicate the ants or pull the plant and move it. you need to water much more with the ant mound underneath it than to plant it by itself, if you let the ant mound get big enough the plant just might topple over in a storm. I have seen some big mounds....no plants on them either.
I really would like to know if using cornmeal as a fungicide really works. Does anyone know of an article, book or website that has information on this?
