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Eugene,OR

I need to raise my calcium to get my cation ratios to where I'd like them to be without increasing my sulfur. Using regular powdered gypsum in the quantity I need would make my sulphur crazy high. I've heard that liquid gypsum might be a bad idea. Can anyone give me some insight on liquid gypsum?

3/3/2013 10:19:37 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

How about Calcium Nitrate...Liquid Gypsum is Calcium Sulphate which will raise your sulfur levels

3/3/2013 10:51:56 PM

Colorado

Compost can be very high in Ca+++

3/3/2013 11:54:38 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Why would liquid gypsum be a bad idea? This is exactly what you need. We have been using it for years.

3/4/2013 12:59:50 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

What is your current sulfur level?

3/4/2013 7:34:36 AM

Boscawen, NH

Russ- The one problem that you can run into if you're not careful with the liquid gypsum is that it will change (raise) your soil PH. The sulfur in pelletized gypsum is what keeps it PH neutral. If you add a lot of liquid gypsum you may end up needing to add an acid (sulfur) to bring your PH back down.

3/4/2013 9:58:48 AM

gypsum is calcium sulphate

this liquid gpypsum by name is 25%calcium chloride

http://www.soillogic.com/products/liquid-gypsum/liquid-gypsum-detailed-information

road crews melt ice with calcium chloride in iowa

3/4/2013 10:31:04 AM

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200449155_200449155

il keep carrying the heavy 40 lb gypsum bags to my patch .no matter what a product is named look at the ingredient

3/4/2013 10:42:17 AM

Webster, NY

Calcium Sulfate is not very soluble in water. I don't know the concentration of liquid gypsum, but the solubility of the sulfate is something like .2 grams in 100 grams of water. It has to be something like calcium chloride which would be much more water soluble.

3/4/2013 1:16:38 PM

Eugene,OR

Thanks Don, that is what I was looking for. Tom, I'm trying to change my cation ratios and currently have pretty high K (1117 ppm & 67.7%) and my CA is 3655 PPM and is 10.6%. I just added 20 bags of Gyspum to about 12000 square feet to get there. It would take another 140 bags to get my ratios to 79% CA and 6.9% K. To do this with gypsum my Sulphur (which is currently at 393 PPM) would end up at 2884. The liquid "Gypsum" would raise the CA without making my Sulphur go through the roof, but I don't know if it is a good idea?????

3/4/2013 4:10:35 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Good post Russ,,,,,,,, and great replies,,,,,,,,,, hope it keeps going.

3/4/2013 6:17:34 PM

Petaluma,CA

Russ, I have done some research on high soil sulfur and from what I can find it should not be a problem. I spoke with the Agronomist at A&L Labs and he told me that high sulfur levels can be toxic to beneficial bacteria. He also stated that since we have such high amounts of beneficial bacteria and fungi that the damage if any will be minimal.
My current sulfur level is 1700 ppm.

3/4/2013 7:28:12 PM

Petaluma,CA

Before adding anymore gypsum you could try to leach the excessive potassium from your soil in the same way you would leach excessive sodium. I had high sodium this past fall. As a result of adding 50# of gypsum and 500 gallons of water to my patch not only did my sodium drop but my potassium dropped 450 ppm. It might be worth a shot since you have already added 1000# of gypsum.

3/5/2013 2:23:56 PM