TOPIC: Gypsum

Hey yall,

I've read yall's topics about the gypsum, but is it like a \"must have\" for putting on your patches of seed? Because all that I've planted so far, I haven't even thought of puttig it on. Will that make a big difference on whether it'll germinate or not since I didn't put any on?

BOYHUD17,
It will make a difference for sure if your calcium level is low. If you do not have at least 3000 pound per acre, then I am sure all would agree you need to add Gypsum. Check this site out pertaining to soil samples. You might want to consider doing a soil sample.
Thanks,
Latt

In Scotts book he shows a chart - comparison of average calcium levels found in soils with wild ginseng stands of varying quality.

1500 and below - Poor
In the 3000 range - Moderate
In the 5000 range - Good

I have some wild seng growing on my property but it is not big and healthy looking seng like I see in some other areas so I expected my calcium levels were not all that great. When I got my soil test back it was in the 1400 per acre range.

That is why I am adding gypsum, and I also added some bone meal.

If you soil test good on calcium (like Latt said 3000 or better) or possibly even a bit lower 2000-2500 you could probably get by without supplementing with gypsum.

But even at 3000 levels it would not hurt to add some - 3000 was Moderate, 5000 rated Good.

TNhunter

BOYHUD17

In answer to your question:

\"Will that make a big difference on whether it'll germinate or not since I didn't put any on?\"

Five years ago, before I knew anything about calcium and adding gypsum to my soil, I planted 2 pounds of seeds and they germinated and came up just fine. I took a soil sample in late spring after the seedlings came up and found that my calcium level was around 950 ppa. So I applied pelletized gypsum to those beds in June. The pelletized gypsum can be applied after the plants have emerged without the fear of dusting the plants with a powder. If the pellets land on the plants, it will just roll off onto the leaves below. Those beds I treated with gypsum now has a calcium level of about 2800 ppa.

I believe that your seeds will germinate just fine. But if the level of calcium in the soil is less than 2000 ppa, the plants will not thrive and will be stunted. In fact the health of the plants will start to decline and they are more vulnerable to disease.

You really should get a soil test done to see where you stand on calcium.

In Scott Persons book, he says:

\"Take an annual soil sample in late winter. Whenever calcium is less than 2000 ppa, top dress your wild simulated site with 50 pounds of gypsum per 1000 sq ft of planted area just before the plants begin their season's growth in the spring. If Ca is 2000 pounds or higher, do not add gypsum , unless either your plants are not growing vigorously or you see evidence of disease in your planting.\"

Good luck with your garden.

classicfur

Thanks yall. Now I just need to find somewhere that sells it lol

BOYHUD,

Shop around - the price seems to vary quite a bit.

I made a trip over to another county yesterday and checked at Lowes and they had a 10 lb bag for 9.99. Nearly a dollar a pound on the price.

Just down the road a bit at the local Farmers Co-Op they had 40 lb bag for 6.25. That's 15.6 cents per pound on the price.

And if you have not done a soil test yet - I would sure do that first. Who knows you could be lucky and have a location with high calcium content naturally - it does happen.

On my property wild seng grows but I don't find hardly any 4 prongs (found 1 last year and that was a suprise) I do find lots of 3 prongs that are 20-25 years old that are 8-10\" tall and have 1/4 oz roots and sort of spindly tops. I knew that something was not just right about my soil and after reading Scotts book suspected it was the calcium levels. After getting soil test back knew it was that. In one hollow it had 1400 ppa, and in another around 900 ppa.

When getting soil for a sample - you need about a cup of dirt. Just scrape back the leaves and that leaf compost (very top layer of the soil) then collect soil from that top 3-4\" or so. I would not do deeper than that because seng roots will not grow deeper than that. If you have a hillside that you are going to be planting on I would collect some soil from the top range, middle and bottom range - get something like 5-6 samples and mix them together and then after mixing well take your cup of dirt out of that to send in.

In my case we can just put the dirt inside a zip lock bag, and then that bag inside a 6x9 bubble mailer and send it in. It will cost you a little in postage to mail that much dirt, and then the cost of the soil test (here in TN the basic test cost 7.00) and it does inclue Ca in PPA.

Good Luck

TNHunter

Thanks TNHunter. All the seng i found was 4 prongs. except for the some big 3 prongs. Where do you go to get soil test?

If you are finding big healthy looking seng in the areas you plan to plant a soil test would be questionable. That is the absolute best sign you could have.

In the State of TN you can go to the site below for all the details. You can even pay online.

soilplantandpest.utk.edu/soil/index.htm

TNhunter

Ok well if i do put gypsum on my seed beds, do I need to put it on there again when i harvest and replant?

BOYHUD17,
Once you dig your ginseng someday lets say 10 years from now, you will not be able to replant ginseng seed in that spot for a minimum of 10 years or even longer. One of the most successful woods grown ginseng farmer planted a fortune in seeds in a bed that had been harvested previously. The seed came up great but all of the ginseng plants soon died. He lost everything in those acres he planted. He has waited over 10 years and is still reluctant to replant in the once previously harvested bed. Ginseng pulls many nutrients out of the soil. Even when some amendments are added back into the soil ginseng just wont do well in there for some reason. Years upon years need to pass. So plant in a different spot each year and you will always be reaping the rewards every year down the road. Don't plant now and then wait to replant years down the road. Plant as much as you can afford to plant every year.
Good luck,
Latt