Crabgrass weed seeds germinate in the lawn when the soil is 60 degrees. There is an organic product that can be used to control crabgrass that contains corn gluten meal. It is a corn milling byproduct, and it inhibits the root growth of crabgrass seedlings. When the plant is unable to develop roots, the crabgrass seedlings die. In addition to crabgrass, corn gluten meal offers preemergent control of dandelion, plantain, lambsquarter and other weeds.
Products containing corn gluten meal are available at garden centers and mail order companies.
The Extension Office has a listing of the products and their source. Large Fruited Tomatoes One of the garden demonstration plots at the Northeast Iowa Research Farm near Nashua last year contained a trial on large fruited tomatoes. Seven different varieties were used. None of the varieties produced fruit as large as advertised in the catalogs. All varieties were prone to cracking, splitting, cat facing and disease.