# Pelletized gypsum



## Crimson2v (Jun 25, 2017)

Is it true that gypsum helps break up clay soil? I was thinking of adding this to my yard but I can't find any locally. Also how many lbs/1000 sq ft should be put down?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

It is not true. You need a soil test to know if your soil needs more calcium (unlikely).


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## adgattoni (Oct 3, 2017)

g-man said:


> It is not true. You need a soil test to know if your soil needs more calcium (unlikely).


+1

It's like throwing out lime without a soil test. It became a "thing" so now everyone does it haphazardly.

Gypsum works well in a test tube format on soils that are high in sodium, but I have read it needs to be tilled into the soil to really have an effect on soil floculation in practice. @ErosionWizard works for a company that says they have a liquid-applied product that mimics this effect (not gypsum, I think it's a polymer-based soil surfactant). He's working on bringing it to market in a smaller container size that would be available to the homeowner.

What I would like to do: find someone with an aeravator and have them put gypsum into the seed hopper. That'd get it into the soil without needing to till everything up.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

If you have high Na - causing your soil particles to disperse, yes, gypsum can help. Caso4 will flush Na off the site and it will help the particles flocculate. Again, you need high Na numbers.


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## Crimson2v (Jun 25, 2017)

I was going to put some out after I aerated so it would enter the soil. I guess I will hold off until I get a soil test done.


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