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Partlow,Va

I need to raise my calcium levels without using gypsum this year.I have loamy soil and I don't want the gypsum to mess up the drainage.

What do you think of Rock Phosphate? I have never used it before.
I was thinking of using 250lbs for a 4000sq ft patch.
I put down 600lbs of Gypsum last spring. Ca was 568 and is currently at 1381.According to the Langley calculator I will gain about 350ppm using 250lbs of Rock Phosphate.

Thanks for any advice on the subject.

1/10/2014 3:06:53 PM

how can gypsum mess up drainage

1/10/2014 3:14:18 PM

Germany

Do you need to increase phosphorus like crazy? Would perhaps be bad to have better Ca levels at the expense of too high phosphorus (which could lower the activity of myco)...just my opinion.

1/10/2014 3:49:25 PM

President - GPC

http://ohioline.osu.edu/anr-fact/0020.html

A good read

1/10/2014 4:14:19 PM

East Jordan, MI

What is the perceived issue with Gypsum and drainage Hank?

Rock phosphate would not be my choice to raise CA.

What is your pH?

1/10/2014 6:56:28 PM

Partlow,Va

I have loamy soil and thought that gypsum would act like a sponge. In my county in central Virginia we just had the most yearly rainfall EVER on record. Its raining right now on top of frozen mud at my place. So the last thing I wanted to put in my patch is anything to retain moisture. That was my thought process. Because I had never used gypsum before I thought the gypsum was working against me in the drainage department.

So gypsum does not retain water?
Thanks to all.I am not going to use Rock Phosphate.

My PH is currently 6.7
Could I also use 100-150 lbs of Calcitic Lime and offset with some macro mixes w/sulfer to end up with a PH of 7? Overapply the Calcitic Lime a hare to get the Ca. out of it.

1/10/2014 8:18:46 PM

Home of happy lil plants

Finally something I can answer with 100% certainty

....you want gypsum it fluffs that soil right up

but your call ultimately I can safely say 5000sqft and 2400lbs of gypsum are best friends... just don't forget to add you mg and k and everything and give plentttyyy of time

1/10/2014 8:44:33 PM

Partlow,Va

Thank you all..may I get the pleasure to buy you a beer one day!

1/10/2014 10:44:59 PM

Partlow,Va

Ok, I went back to the Langley soil calculator and did some adjusting. I have everything dialed in per my Western Lab soil suggestions and my soil ratios look great. Way better than last year so I'm getting there. But,I have yet another question.

I added 600lbs Gypsum and 100lbs Calcitic Lime to bring the PH to 7.0 and to help offset the huge sulfer gain from the gypsum. My sulfer is currently very low at 9 ppm and the lab only called for adding 1.2 lbs/1000q ft . My sulfer gain according to the soil calculator would be 28 lbs/1000sq ft. Is this something to be concerned about?

1/11/2014 12:43:13 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

will sand improve drainage?? Well i guess gypsum depending on particle size will improve drainage also since i have added tons to my patch over the last 6 yrs and have it just where i like it!!

1/11/2014 8:40:38 PM

Partlow,Va

I scratched the calcitic lime and went with mag lime. I also added 520 lbs of gypsum to increase my calcium levels,among other things. I am going to add 400 more lbs or so gypsum in early March prior to turning under the cover crop. I'm not going to worry about my sulfer levels zooming. Sulfer leaches from the soil pretty quick. A kind man from NH had told me this last year and I found it in my mountain of notes that I recently organized. Thanks for the help and good growing!

1/18/2014 8:49:07 AM

East Jordan, MI

You don't have to worry about the extra sulfur, as you already discovered in your notes it does leach out and these plants use a lot of sulfur too.

1/18/2014 5:44:48 PM