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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] gypsum on crop soils

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  • From: "Lisa Rollens" <rollens@fidnet.com>
  • To: "Meng Lei" <earthpassengers@gmail.com>, "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] gypsum on crop soils
  • Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 01:29:31 -0000

Those cute little packets of dessicant are great for putting with seeds you want to save and store. Put them in a warm place-oven with light on, or in sun-for a while to redry them.

Lisa, in the Ozarks, MO, USA


----- Original Message ----- From: "Meng Lei" <earthpassengers@gmail.com>
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 9:14 AM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] gypsum on crop soils


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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