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[John S <swim_at_svc@yahoo.com>]

Jim,

 

I have read that gypsum loosens clay soils by binding the very small clay particles into larger aggrigates, thus loosening the soil.  Also adding lots of long term organics such as pine bark are supposed to help as well.

 

However, to clarify your post, are you suggesting using gypsom to loosen the soil AND then add lime to balance it?  Or is this a "one or the other" solution?

 

John

Jim Fruth <jfruth@tds.net> wrote:

> John Barbowski wrote: "I have heavy clay - read concrete! I have been 
> working it for 30 years."
>
>
> John,
> There is a faster way to soften clay soils. In California's San Joaquin 
> Valley, much of the soil is adobe clay. When it is dry, a pick-axe can't 
> penetrate it. Farmers soften it by applying
>  Gypsum (CaSO4). Gypsum works 
> really good. The soil becomes workable and they can grow nearly anything in 
> it.
> There is one big problem with adding gypsum though - there is a tendency 
> to add too much. Too many free sulfate radicals contribute to acidity. One 
> Merced, California, farmer I worked with had the idea that if a little 
> worked great, alot should be better and his crop production kept going down. 
> By the time he called me fields that used to be slightly alkaline had as low 
> as pH 5.4.
> To continue the story, I recommended he add lime but that was a problem. 
> The problem was that agricultural lime wasn't available in the area. We 
> finally managed to buy hydrated lime from one of the wineries. The last I 
> heard, the farmer's production was going up again.
>
> Jim Fruth
> Brambleberry Farm
> Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
> For jams, jellies & syrups:
> www.bberryfarm.com
> (877)265-6856 [Store]
> (218)831-7018 [My Cell]
>  
>
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