Re: Fw: sand v. organic matter

In a message dated 3/22/99 1:17:04 AM Eastern Standard Time,
patrose@cdsnet.net writes:

<< 
 John,
   I have recently had good experiences with gypsum and clay soils. I am
 currently renovating an old orchard that was planted in a sticky black clay
 soil containing 65% clay. I added gypsum and incorporated it in,as well as
 injecting gypsum through the under-tree irrigation system. I have seen a
 dramatic increase in the soils ability to adsorb water, and plan on
continuing
 the injection through-out this growing season as well. I totally agree with
the
 authors that recommend working organic material as opposed to adding sand.
   The best of luck. Scott M. Cully >>
Scott,
   I agree that adding organic matter and CaSO4 will improve the way a clay
soil behaves. There is a difference, however, between making a bad or marginal
soil better and having an optimun growing media. What I am proposing is not
practical for large scale agriculture in any way. You can make clay particles
behave better with organic matter and gypsum, but you still have too much
clay. The percentage of clay is still hanging in there at 65%. With pumpkins ,
I'll take 65 % sand over 65% clay any day......providing you have the adility
to supply water to it. Pumkinguy note: Scott Cully is one of the best pumpkin
growers in the world....actually was the best grower in the World in 1985.
Scott is an Ag major from U. Conn...we have been in each others pumpkin
patches many times. The west coast people kidnapped him and now he fools
around with trees out there. He uses some flimsy excuse like he has to make a
living growing trees now. The West coast people have to rattle his cage and
get him growing pumpkins and forget those trees!!!!!! A dangerous pumpkin
grower lying dormant at the moment (dormant as far as pumpkins are concerned).
If anyone needs at a dynamite sculptor in the Fall....Scott is the man.
                                                   pumkinguy  

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