[Homestead] Gypsum was Tillers...was Soil
EarthNSky
erthnsky at bellsouth.net
Mon Jan 26 16:59:04 EST 2009
Clansgian at wmconnect.com wrote:
>
>
> Oddly it didn't move the pH of the soil much, you've no doubt found out that
> in organic soil, you can't bully the pH. The organisms will adjust it to suit
> themselves no matter much what you do.
I've noticed that, too. My pH is 6.8 and apparently buffered well. I
suppose that is why I am a bit hesitant to start adding gypsum.
But when that stuff touches hard
> clay, it loosens into very nice coarse soil. Even a little added to hard clay
> makes a big difference.
There is one rather compacted spot in the garden where I left the pigs a
bit too long. It created a subsurface compaction-about a foot deep. I
could use some there.
I suppose I could just grind it up/bust it up and scatter it around.
I found this online and thought it might help someone.
http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/hortic/pdf/ag_lime_gypsum.pdf
I meant to take care of this stuff a while back but never found that
round tuit. I'll get it done Thursday. What fun it will be to bust it
all up.<g>
>
> I scarcely bother to test the soil any more. Adding all the organic material
> I can get makes the soil heat up, play host to every sort of fungus and
> mushroom you can imagine, turn all and sundry shades, and it seems to reach an
> equilibrium that is not much affected by amendments. After tresting the soil for
> several years in a row and getting the same neutral, middle of the road
> results, I quit doing it.
I haven't done it in a few years either. DH wants me to test it ( :)
see what I mean?) but I just don't think it is necessary.
Rob, did you ever buy one of those soil testers?
>
> I've come to the conclusion that the soil tests do not have active organic
> soils in mind. In chemical soils, the macronutrients are there or they aren't
> and you can measure that. But in organic soils the form that nitrogen and
> phosphorous take for direct plant use are present only in very small quantities.
> As the nutrients are depleated by the plants, bacteria are call out of
> domancy and make more until the balance is restored. The tests apparently have no
> means of testing that potential.
>
I hold that faith as well.
Bev
--
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will
not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius
will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the
world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone
are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve
the problems of the human race"
~ Calvin Coolidge
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