permaculture

[Meng Lei <earthpassengers@gmail.com>]

Two somewhat related questions: 
1) Does anyone know what home/garden use there is for the little
packets of moisture absorbant material ("lime dessicants") that come
with so many store-bought foods (especially in asia/humid climates).
It says "do not eat" on the package, but i wonder if it's safe to put
in the garden as "lime".
2) Are rotted old packages of unused "plaster of paris" safe/wise to
apply to soil in the garden?
Thanks in advance to anyone with a clue...
Peter Morehead
Earth Passengers
Taiwan



On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 01:04:24 +0000 (UTC), robscott@freeshell.org
<robscott@freeshell.org> wrote:
> 
> Gypsum occurs naturally as Hydrated Calcium Sulfate (CaSO4 2H2O) which
> precipitated out of saline water over millions of years and was deposited
> as sediments which are mined today. Board production involves heating
> mineral gypsum to 250C to release the H20 as steam. (This is H20 from the
> age of dinosaurs!) H20 can be readded and the gypsum is thus easy to
> transport as a mineral rock, powder, or paper bound construction board.
> 
> In Northern Illinois gypsum is applied to peanut fields becuase peanuts
> deplete soil calcium. Peanut plants need calcium so that the nuts can fill
> the pods. Farmers export calcium every year by exporting the peanut crop.
> So they apply calcium every year, but they don't apply lime (CaCO3)
> because it will raise pH. Instead, farmers use gypsum, which supplies
> calcium without altering pH. This is important because they are adding
> calcium every year. They refer to gypsum as "land plaster" !
> 
> I say it is safe to recycle gypsum board into crop soils, so long as it
> isn't treated with rot-resistant chemicals or covered with paint.
> 
> Rob Scott
> Urbana Permaculture Project
> Urbana, IL
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