about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid down. I'm pretty sure I remember the gardener using a tiller however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and the soil seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure to soften up this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down on the soil to make is less hard? tia John
A tiller.
Make that a tiller AND humus- something to break the modules of the hard soil.
Tom J
water? :) aerater
Gypsum will break up the clay.
By just putting it on as a top dressing? I don't think so, but am interesting to know how.
Tom J
Don't waste your money.
I kinda have to agree - even though all the garden books and experts recommend gypsum. I cleaned out a local garden center at the end of one season. Took all the gypsum they had left. Still had to build up with tons of compost. But hey - that was for my garden area. The grass growws great in the clay I have - can't kill it despite plowing snow over it, dragging logs across it, etc.
Gypsum applications can reduce effects of compaction only if it was caused by sodium-saturated exchange complexes in the soil. Gypsum will not reduce compaction if compaction is caused by other factors. A specialized soil test performed by a soil lab can reveal if sodium has saturated the exchange complexes.
So why did you tell the guy it would be a waste of money instead of telling him to get a soil test ?
Because in permanent crops when you have sodium built up, putting gypsum on top of the soil is not an efficient way to get sodium reduction, because there is very little soluble calcium in it. And that's what displaces sodium.
Hope that helps you Sarge.
Try "Revive"!
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