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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Calcium, pH & home-owner soil test

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  • From: "Dennis Norton" <dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Calcium, pH & home-owner soil test
  • Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 07:39:22 -0500

Jim,
Gypsum, is calcium sulfate and calcium sulfate doesn't change the soil pH. Also, applying gypsum to an acid soil (pH less than 5.5) can also have adverse effects on certain crops by displacing soil aluminum, which is toxic to plant roots. The key is that gypsum can have adverse effects on certain crops. It may be great for cranberries, but not for all crops. We use lime until our pH is at the desired level. Then we use gypsum to add more calcium, depending on the calcium needs of the soil and fruit. But again, a soil test will reveal your aluminum contant as well as your pH and if the pH is fine, gypsum can be used for adding more calcium as our soil lab has recommended in the past.

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Fruth" <jfruth@uslink.net>
To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2006 8:52 AM
Subject: [NAFEX] Calcium, pH & home-owner soil test


Dennis,
You said, "By the way, if our pH is high, they always recommend lime and
if not, calcium chloride."

Sounds like you have an unscrupulous soil tester who is probably getting
a kick-back from a lime company like some (many/most?) university soils test
labs get. If your pH is high, a RESPONSIBLE soil tester would recommend
gypsum. You need to find a responsible soils lab.

As for home owners getting a soils test, I recommend it to my students,
to do it at least once. I recommend it where the same soil has been used
for 50 to 100 years, especially those with sandy soil. Micronutrients are
more likely to become depleted in sand than in heavier soils.
--

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN
www.bberryfarm.com
Jams, Jellies and Syrups
(218)568-8483 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My cell]










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