Yes, but also dig in sand and some humus such as grass clippings.
oh_hunnihunni,
Nov 21, 8:25pm
Gypsum? As a soil conditioner.
piquant,
Nov 21, 8:25pm
No, it is Gypsum. Which is, in itself, calcium disulfate. But gypsum acts as a clay breaker but doesn't make any significant change in the alkalinity of the soil - whereas lime (calcium carbonate) will.
vomo2,
Nov 21, 8:29pm
Where can I buy Gypsum?
piquant,
Nov 21, 10:05pm
Farm store, ie Farmlands, Garden centre, would be the obvious ones.
oh_hunnihunni,
Nov 21, 11:02pm
Tui makes a clay breaker I seem to remember. Added to clay soil it grows great roses.
blueviking,
Nov 22, 8:21am
Mitre 10 sell gypsum in a 40ltr bag for $38. Better to go round building sites and get their leftover gib for nothing.
lythande1,
Nov 22, 8:39am
Really the best thing is to add compost. Home made, because you want the leaf matter. in fact leaves are also excellent, thats what gives you that crumbly black texture.
And you need to add it, add it, and add it again. Not once and then forget it. We had a solid clay section at one house, first year we just grew potatoes (helps). Then added compost year after year. When we left it had the best soil for miles.
docsportello,
Nov 22, 8:49am
Yes I'd agree. You don't even have to use home made or dig it in if you can't for some reason. Also, before you tip a hundred years of crushed giboard on your garden, do the 24hr ball test on your clay, first. Otherwise you're wasting your time with gypsum. Compost will do a better job.
piquant,
Nov 22, 11:46am
Yes, I'd agree with the above two posts insofar as compost and leafmold and any form of humus will contribute enormously to the structure of the soil (over years) and produce a friable, nutritious soil. But - breaking down the clay in the first place - gypsum, every time. Whilst technically the same stuff - I wouldn't recommend gib board - it's a solid mass whereas gypsum for soils is an easily applied powder and will start to act much more quickly. What is it about kiwis that think if you can get something for nothing - it's a far better bet than paying for the right stuff. I'm all for re-cycling - if you are going to put the work in to do it properly - but we all know ten people will go out and chuck sheets or broken pieces of gib on their garden and then wonder why it doesn't work - and looks a total mess in the process.
oh_hunnihunni,
Feb 9, 10:18am
Which is why landscaping companies provide a clay breaker mix which contains gypsum AND compost. The gypsum causes the clay particles to chemically disengage - it breaks their bonds literally, the compost provides the organic matter to keep the soil friable. One without the other takes much longer to work.
Google it and see if you don't trust the advice of old gardeners!
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