Gypsum is calcium sulfate, a natural mineral. In agriculture and home gardening, gypsum serves as a soil amendment to lower salinity. After you broadcast many pounds of gypsum over the ground and water it, calcium replaces the salt in soil particles. Before you invest in gypsum, figure out whether that is the amendment your soil needs.
Instructions
1. Test your soil for sodium adsorption rate if you find spots in your garden where irrigation and rain puddles, especially if nothing grows there and the surface has a white crust when it is dry. The test result shows the level of sodium in the soil in comparison to calcium and magnesium, and tells you how much gypsum to use to bring the three elements into balance. Contact your county cooperative extension office for information on the proper way of collecting and submitting a soil sample for the test.
2. Broadcast granular-grade gypsum over the soil surface with a fertilizer spreader. Follow the test result recommendation for application rates. If your soil texture is medium and the sodium adsorption rate has a measurement of 15, you need to apply 150 pounds of gypsum per 1000 square feet of ground. You may use gypsum over grass and around garden plants.
3. After broadcasting gypsum, irrigate the area to release the amendment into the ground. You may need to repeat this treatment annually for several years. Add more gypsum to the soil if a new sodium adsorption rate test indicates the need.
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