• Originally published March 2, 2010 at midnight, updated March 3, 2010 at 4 p.m.

Not that anyone can predict what the weather will bring us, the forecasters give us the best information we can get.

So, I listen to them and then, along with their information, make the best predictions I can for what can be done in the garden.

The long-range forecast for spring calls for more rain than usual. This winter has brought colder temperatures and much more rain than usual. Our soil certainly needed the rain.

With a lot of cloudy, rainy days, we gardeners know what that brings: fungal problems.

Spring normally brings some fungal problems in lawn grass every year. Brown patch is common in our area, especially in St. Augustine lawns, which most residential homes have.

With the current forecast for spring, fungal diseases might also a big problem on many different types of plants.

One way to prevent fungal problems of all kinds is to use horticultural cornmeal.

Don't confuse this with corn gluten meal, which is a natural weed and feed. Horticultural cornmeal is different than the kind in our kitchen cabinets.

Horticultural cornmeal is much more concentrated than the kitchen variety. It is the concentrated outer edge of the kernel of corn and is not a food-grade product.

Using kitchen cornmeal would be much more expensive to use on your landscape.

Horticultural cornmeal is inexpensive and comes in larger bags. It is available at many garden centers and feed stores that carry organic products.

Horticultural cornmeal will not only help with fungal problems, but is also a source of nutrients and organic matter.

Once lightly watered to activate it, the cornmeal attracts a member of the Trichoderma fungus family. Not to worry, this is a very good side of the family that we want to move in.

The Trichoderma fungus can actually kill off other bad types of disease-causing fungi in just a few weeks. It actually stimulates beneficial micro-organisms that feed on bad pathogens, like brown patch in the lawn and damping off in seedlings, as well as many other fungal diseases.

If you have spots on roses, photinia, ligustrums or Indian Hawthorns, horticultural cornmeal is needed. If there are brown spots in your lawn, horticultural cornmeal is needed. If there are soil borne diseases on fruits or vegetables or ornamental crops, horticultural cornmeal is needed.

For brown patch, broadcast 20 to 30 pounds of horticultural cornmeal over every 1,000 square foot of lawn grass. To help with root and soil-borne diseases use about two pounds of cornmeal for every 100 square foot of area. For even better results, add 20 pounds of dry molasses for every 1,000 square foot of area.

To make a cornmeal tea that can be used as a foliar spray, you would add one cup of cornmeal to 5 gallons of water, and let it soak for about one hour.

I put the cornmeal in an old sock and use it like a tea bag. If not using an old sock, you would need to strain out the solids before spraying. If you want to use the cornmeal tea as a soil drench, you don't need to strain it. Multiple applications can be made as needed, because the mixture is good for the soil.

This is the time to be using the cornmeal on all types of plants as a preventative. Use it in your vegetable garden as you plant your spring veggies.

Use it around existing fruit and nut trees or as you plant them. Broadcast it in your flowerbeds and on the lawn.

Until next time, let's try to garden with nature, not against it, and maybe all our weeds will become wildflowers.

Laurie Garretson is a Victoria gardener and nursery owner. Send your gardening questions to laurie@vicad.com or in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77902.

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