Return it because 1. it will take forever to break down and 2. A whole lot of it will germinate and grow little corn plants. Cracked corn works good, a few kernals will grow but they can easily be mowed down or pulled from your beds.
Bill Hill

I returned the unopened bags, and exchanged them for cracked corn. I applied the whole corn because I didn't know what else to do with it. if it sprouts, I'll just whack it with the mower.

You're on your way. Have fun with this.

Can someone explain what type of corn meal to buy.....and at what rate to apply it.

The local feed store in wilmington ohio sells corn meal in 50 pound bags for $9.00 each.

Are there any negitives to be on the look out for when applying cornmeal to the grass?

It depends on what you want. Corn meal or cracked corn is used as a fertiliser and a mild fungicide. $9.00 is a decent price. Corn Gluten Meal is a stronger, more expensive fertiliser that also acts as a pre-emergent.

Meleca, Corn meal from your feed store is the right stuff. As Whip1 mentioned, corn meal is a mild fertilizer and has some fungal deterring properties. I use it as the first and last fertilizer application of the year. It helps prevent snow mold, powdery mildew, and other fungal diseases. Soybean meal is higher in protein and therefore provides more nitrogen and alfalfa pellets contains growth stimulants. Many like to diversify their organic fertilizers for optimum results.
Bill Hill

So How much should I put down when applying?

Corn meal or cracked corn - about 20 lbs per 1000 sq. ft. of lawn.
Bill Hill

Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Lawncare FAQ

hey folks, saw this thread. My nursery carries cracked corn for $10.99/50 lbs bag. I asked her to double check and it's really cracked corn. BAM!

How is it different from corn meal? What is the nitrogen of this?

Corn meal and cracked corn are the same. One is just ground up finer.

Cracked corn has some kernels that were small enough to not get cracked but they are still viable corn seed. Those will sprout. Not to worry, though, because you mow them off and they die. Wish bermuda was that easy to knock out.

Are there any negitives to be on the look out for when applying cornmeal to the grass?

It does not flow through a spreader very well. Being an organic grain it absorbs moisture easily, clumps, and does not fall through the spreader. I scoop it out of the bag with a 2-pound coffee can. That way I know I have about 2 pounds of corn meal. Then I scatter it like I was feeding chickens. Two pounds will cover about 100 (10x10) to 200 (10x20) square feet. I can 'eyeball' where my can of corn should cover and scatter freely.

As far as storing it, I use up all I have in the fall to avoid storing it over the winter. If you store it, by spring time the invisible bugs that come with the corn meal will have eaten about half of what you have left. Those bugs make a great organic fertilizer but it is an icky thing to deal with.

What is the nitrogen of this?

Pet peeve alert. Snide remark to follow:
Don't know. Don't care.

Now if you want to talk about protein, it is on par with coffee grounds as providing about the lowest dose of protein of all the ground grains. The nitrogen in protein is the ultimate source of the nitrogen that the microbes provide to the plants. The problem is not all protein is the same. The protein in blood is available to plants much more quickly than the protein in feathers and hair. The protein in nuts, seeds, and beans seems to hit a happy medium of protein and nitrogen availability.

Here is a link that might be useful: NPK of organic stuff for those who cling to tradition

I've noticed an increase of crows in my yard. It looks like they're eating the whole corn. I hope they have the courtesy to recycle in my yard!

As expected, I do have some corn sprouting from the whole corn. I'm not sure that this is a bad thing. I dug one up, and the roots are about 3-4 inches long. The mower will mulch the top, and the root will add organic matter into the soil. Did I just discover something?

To figure the amount of nitrogen in a bag of any grain look at the percentage of protein which should be listed on the tag. Divide the % by 6.25 and that'll give you the N % in that bag.

If you're just starting with grains I think it is in fact a good idea to know how much N your buying because its a significant pain for some folks to purchase and haul grain ferts so it only makes sense to make sure you're not buying and lugging more than you need.