OT: Using gysum plaster to improve clay soil.

[Andrew]

Hi all,

I've been using google to get an answer to this problem, and this site has picked up Chris Dixons request from 2010 :-

So, the question is, did it work ?.

I am trying to get some lawn dug over and reseeded before the soil cools down (Sussex clay), but after all the rain it is really sticky and claggy.

I have an out-of-date 25Kg bag of thistle basecoat. Is this any good as a source of gypsum ?. Being basecoat it seems to have something granular in it anyway.

Thanks

[Chris J Dixon]

Yes indeed it did, the soil is now much improved, less sticky and easier to work.

Absolutely, it should do the job nicely.

Incorporating some organic material, either by digging in, or as a mulch leaving the worms to do the work, is also worth doing.

Good luck

Chris

[Andrew]

Great, thanks. Yesterday was a bright sunny day so all the clods that I had separated the soil into, will have dried out nicely, and other sunny, breezy day is forecast today. Enough time to do the main digging.

I can only do this at time of year (or after a cool dry April) without getting all hot and sweaty. It literally runs into my eyes and makes my eyes sore. During breeze, coolish weather that we tend to get in October, the sweat just evaporates.

Once we get into May the soil changes from wet and squishy into concrete in a matter of a few days, which means getting out tap-rooted weeds and other nasties is impossible.

[stuart noble]

While the soil is workable it pays to incorporate vermiculite or perlite. D oesn't take much to stop the clay ever hardening again. The standard insula tion type (Micafil) is cheaper and every bit as good as the horticultural g rade. Yes, you have to break the clay up, but you only do it once!

[Rob Morley]

I wear hats or bandanas to keep hair and sweat out of eyes, you should try it.

[Vir Campestris]

Oh B****. You tell me that 3 days after the fitters took it all away!

Andy

[stuart noble]

e. Doesn't take much to stop the clay ever hardening again. The standard in sulation type (Micafil) is cheaper and every bit as good as the horticultur al grade. Yes, you have to break the clay up, but you only do it once!

Used to be used as loft insulation but tended to blow about in windy weathe r. Incredibly light when dry but incredibly heavy when wet (the latter ofte n overlooked by roof garden designers)