Gypsum as a Soil Improver. You can add gypsum, composted leaves, pine bark, or organic compost to your clay soil to eliminate compaction and drainage problems and to improve its structure. 15 - 30% gypsum does not break down the clay it just loosens the soil and makes crumblyer. Gypsum is the common name for calcium sulfate. While gypsum is useful in many ways, this gypsum myth applies only to gypsum as a soil acid neutralizer. Improving Clay Soil With Gypsum. This is supposed to accomplish softening by improving the structure of the compacted clay soil. Apply gypsum at 1 kilo per square metre, digging this into the top 10-15cm well. I misread the instructions and added 50 lbs to a 150 square foot area when the instructions suggest 50 punds for 1000 square feet. Where the soil is acid, lime can be applied, but elsewhere it is better to add gypsum. The type of soft clay soil added to gypsum plafond waste is shown in Fig. So you can grow better, healthier crops.When Gypsum dissolves, it releases equal proportions of calcium and sulphate. Breaking soil in small pieces helps the plants to expand their roots much farther in the soil to soak up the nutrients from the soil. Gypsum can reclaim high-sodium or "sodic" soils. Is gypsum a cost-effective solution for your calcium and sulfur needs? How to Apply Gypsum to Clay Soil. By applying gypsum (applications may need to be repeated) Gypsum dissolves slowly and changes the chemistry in two ways: It creates a salt solution in the soil which reduces the degree of dispersion. Gypsum is chiefly used to amend sodic soils. The calcium can help to leach the salt from the soil and lessen the dispersion. Gypsum naturally reduces salt levels in the soil. Gypsum Increases the Stability of Soil Organic Matter. They have ALL CLAY. While there are reports of gypsum raising pH, this is mainly restricted to agriculture and not so much for lawns. Soils with a high proportion of exchangeable sodium (Na+) lose structure. Adding too much lime to soil can damage it as much as having high acid levels. He said it will help break down some of the clay. If the soil is too much clayey more amount of gypsum should be added. The calcium has the added property of playing a part in the flocculation of clay. Gypsum. There is a lot of information on using gypsum in agriculture, and there are examples of its use on sandy soils. Add organic matter. Had a customer (HOA) call today and inquire about Gypsum for their lawns. Hello All, I live in zone 7, and have a lot of clay soil which I've been treating each Spring with gypsum. This allows water to penetrate through the clay soil, helping the roots of plants and turf to move freely and absorb the essential nutrients needed to survive. Soil in the Southeast U.S. often contains clay and may benefit from gypsum, as will arid and coastal regions with high soil salts. Broadcasting fine grade gypsum at a rate as low as 2.5 t/ha usually prevents clay dispersion in the short term in marginally sodic to sodic clay soils, assuming a water application rate of up to 10 mm/h (equivalent to moderately intense rain). Gypsum as Soil Conditioner. Highly alkaline (high in pH), clay is hard on plants and even harder on a gardener's back as it is heavy, sticky and often difficult to work. Growing plants or grass in clay soil is almost impossible because the clay does not retain the proper nutrients. With a tendency to compact, clay will often impede or stunt root growth. Clay in soil can be a gardener's nightmare. Most clay soils have adequate calcium already present and the positive effects from gypsum can be short-lived. Water often puddles on the surface of these soils. Myth #3: Gypsum for lawns is a great liming material and will effectively raise soil pH. Warning: Contrary to popular belief, adding gypsum to clay soil isn’t always a good idea. He then goes on to describe adding limestone to raise Ph, clay to counter the sandy soil, greensand and phosphate rock for minerals, and compost to bring fertility. Adding a handful of gypsum per square metre of clay soil helps to improve the structure of the top layer of the soil. Gypsum is a source of calcium which is a major mechanism that binds soil organic matter to clay in soil which gives stability to soil aggregates (Muneer and Oades 1989). He said we can mix it into the garden soil with added organic materials and since we can't turn over the lawn, he said he can spread the gypsum on top and let the sprinklers water it into the soil. Agricultural gypsum works as a soil amendment, conditioner and fertilizer to improve the soil. I've applied Gypsum to my own lawn over the years (pellitized with sulfur) because of our heavy soils, also high in pH. break down clay soil in a planting hole Add powdered gypsum at the rate of two to three handfuls per square metre, then dig the soil over and water it in. The clay portion will still be clay. It’s no surprise that gypsum is best suited for heavy clay soils. A saline sodic clay or dirt is one that is both saline (> 1 to 2 dS/m) and sodic (SAR > 13 and ESP > 15) and contains both high levels of soluble salts and exchangeable sodium. Some of this is sufficiently soluble to become available to plant roots. The core aerifier should remove soil cores that are approximately three-fourths of an inch in diameter and 3 inches long. Soil amendments are soil conditioners. Gypsum is a natural clay breaker that helps to drastically improve and condition heavy clay soils; breaking down the clay into a workable and crumbly form. For this reason, urban soils are rarely improved by the addition of gypsum. Gypsum (calcium sulfate) is known as the ‘clay breaker’ because of its ability to replace sodium with calcium. Gypsum is a common amendment for clay soil. It’s possible for gypsum to leach key nutrients like iron and manganese, leading to nutrient deficiencies that can slow the growth of your plants. Check soil tests and consult your agronomist. My understanding on gypsum, is that it has to be applied yearly for several years in order to be beneficial to the soil. Its sulphur content helps neutralize alkaline soils. Advertisement. To successfully grow plants in clay soils it’s important to both build up the soil with good organic matter and break up the clay with special additives. Gypsum works in two ways. However, you might still want to add gypsum to your soil in certain situations. Core aerification is the best way to improve growing conditions for lawns established on clay soils. Fortunately, there is an organic, non-toxic and inexpensive solution--gypsum. As mentioned, gypsum will do much to improve soil structure and, in addition, there is an interesting chemistry that will enhance clay soil. Gypsum is added to soil to supplement calcium and sulfur without changing soil pH. Gypsum is a versatile soil amendment, having many uses for both conventional and organic wine grape vineyards (Figure 1). Again, gypsum plays an important role in improving structure properties and soil always benefits from gypsum. 3. This is a short-term effect, which occurs as the gypsum dissolves; The calcium in the gypsum replaces sodium attached to clay minerals. Does it REALLY help to loosen up the soil and help water permiate better, or is it more myth than fact? Both depend upon the gypsum being dissolved by rain or irrigation water and entering the soil … Gypsum can also remove excess sodium from sodic (saline) soils and break up compacted soil. Gypsum will improve the physical condition and drainage of most clay soils allowing better root development by breaking up clay deposits. Sodic soils are found mainly in arid regions of the western United States. Improves soil structure. It provides the essential nutrients calcium and sulphur but does not affect soil pH; it is neutral (pH is ~6.7). Gypsum, or calcium sulphate (CaSO 4), is a naturally occurring mineral. They are mineral or organic materials and their purpose is improvement of the physical, chemical, and/or biological condition of soils for the benefit of plants. Gypsum is sometimes used in clay soils high in salinity. [10] use cement as soil stabilization to improve the behavior of clay soil in Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Some, but not all, clay soils respond to extra calcium, which causes the soil particles to flocculate (clump together). With the exception of the arid western United States and our coastal areas (where sodium can be high and clay soils may be common), adding gypsum as a soil-softening amendment is not necessary in nonagricultural areas. Test … Clay dispersion and collapse of structure at the soil-air interface is a major contributor to crust formation. It’s main purpose is to make the small particles in clay soil flocculate (join together) into larger particles like that of a sandy soil which enables better water penetration and retention as well as better root penetration. Gypsum is a slow-release source of sulphur and calcium which play a key role in improving soil structure, aeration and water retention. I would like to apply now and then again in the Spring. • Gypsum can improve heavy clay soil structure and remove sodium from saline soils • Gypsum has no effect on soil fertility, structure, or pH of any other soil type • Most urban soils are not improved by additional gypsum • Before adding gypsum or any chemical to a landscape, have soil … Vegetables thrive in a slightly acidic soil, with a pH between 5.8 and 6.3. My gardener suggested applying gypsum to the soil. What does Gypsum do? PREPARATION The first step is to add gypsum to the soil. *For Clay Soil, INCREASE amounts by half (50%). In my zeal to soften the clay soil of my vegetable garden (after unsuccessfully trying to do so with vast amounts of organic matter), I added gypsum. Gypsum is the active ingredient of many commercial ‘clay improvers’. Gypsum is typically 20-22% calcium and 16-18% sulphur. Surface-applied gypsum leaches down to to the subsoil and results in increased root growth. Flocculation, or aggregation, is needed to give favorable soil structure for root growth and air and water movement. The value of organic matter applied to soil is increased when it is applied with gypsum… Leaching reclaims saline soils. For Sandy Soil DECREASE amounts by one-third (33%). It's thick, sticky, does not drain well and dries rock hard after just a few days with heavy sun and no rain. Any organic material that you throw onto, or dig into, a clay soil … You can overcome compacted clay soil and get it back on track for normal garden and lawn growth by improving it with proper materials. It also helps to improve the draining ability of the soil. If your soil is acidic it will break down the gypsum after awhile and you'll have to add more especially if you are not making raised beds. Gypsum breaks the clay soil into small pieces and makes it easier to work with. 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