about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid down. I'm pretty
sure I remember the gardener using a tiller
however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and the soil
seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure to soften up
this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down on the soil to make is
less hard?
tia
John

"John H." <john [at] wontwork.com> wrote in message
news:VLmdnbixu4NELODZnZ2dnUVZ_vednZ2d [at] comcast.com...


>Isnt there something you can throw down on the soil to make is
> less hard?

A tiller.

Benbo wrote:
> "John H." <john [at] wontwork.com> wrote in message
> news:VLmdnbixu4NELODZnZ2dnUVZ_vednZ2d [at] comcast.com...
>
>
>> Isnt there something you can throw down on the soil to make is
>> less hard?
>
> A tiller.

Make that a tiller AND humus- something to break the modules of the
hard soil.

Tom J

John H. wrote:
> about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid down. I'm pretty
> sure I remember the gardener using a tiller
> however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and the soil
> seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure to soften up
> this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down on the soil to make is
> less hard?
> tia
> John
>
>
water? :)
aerater

John H. wrote:
> about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid down. I'm pretty
> sure I remember the gardener using a tiller
> however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and the soil
> seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure to soften up
> this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down on the soil to make is
> less hard?
> tia
> John
>
>
Gypsum will break up the clay.

Stubby wrote:
> John H. wrote:
>> about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid down.
>> I'm pretty sure I remember the gardener using a tiller
>> however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and
>> the
>> soil seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure to
>> soften up this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down on the
>> soil to make is less hard?
>> tia
>> John
>>
>>
> Gypsum will break up the clay.

By just putting it on as a top dressing? I don't think so, but am
interesting to know how.

Tom J

"Tom J" <tomnews [at] earthlink.net> wrote:
> Stubby wrote:
> > John H. wrote:
> >> about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid down.
> >> I'm pretty sure I remember the gardener using a tiller
> >> however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and
> >> the
> >> soil seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure to
> >> soften up this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down on the
> >> soil to make is less hard?
> >> tia
> >> John
> >>
> >>
> > Gypsum will break up the clay.
>
> By just putting it on as a top dressing? I don't think so, but am
> interesting to know how.
>
> Tom J
>
Don't waste your money.

"Steveo" <moparholic [at] hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:20060531165423.288$YB [at] newsreader.com...
> "Tom J" <tomnews [at] earthlink.net> wrote:
>> Stubby wrote:
>> > John H. wrote:
>> >> about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid down.
>> >> I'm pretty sure I remember the gardener using a tiller
>> >> however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and
>> >> the
>> >> soil seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure to
>> >> soften up this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down on the
>> >> soil to make is less hard?
>> >> tia
>> >> John
>> >>
>> >>
>> > Gypsum will break up the clay.
>>
>> By just putting it on as a top dressing? I don't think so, but am
>> interesting to know how.
>>
>> Tom J
>>
> Don't waste your money.

I kinda have to agree - even though all the garden books and experts
recommend gypsum. I cleaned out a local garden center at the end of one
season. Took all the gypsum they had left. Still had to build up with tons
of compost. But hey - that was for my garden area. The grass growws great
in the clay I have - can't kill it despite plowing snow over it, dragging
logs across it, etc.

"Srgnt Billko" <frrt [at] blipl.net> wrote:
> "Steveo" <moparholic [at] hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:20060531165423.288$YB [at] newsreader.com...
> > "Tom J" <tomnews [at] earthlink.net> wrote:
> >> Stubby wrote:
> >> > John H. wrote:
> >> >> about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid down.
> >> >> I'm pretty sure I remember the gardener using a tiller
> >> >> however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and
> >> >> the
> >> >> soil seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure to
> >> >> soften up this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down on the
> >> >> soil to make is less hard?
> >> >> tia
> >> >> John
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> > Gypsum will break up the clay.
> >>
> >> By just putting it on as a top dressing? I don't think so, but am
> >> interesting to know how.
> >>
> >> Tom J
> >>
> > Don't waste your money.
>
> I kinda have to agree - even though all the garden books and experts
> recommend gypsum. I cleaned out a local garden center at the end of one
> season. Took all the gypsum they had left. Still had to build up with
> tons of compost. But hey - that was for my garden area. The grass
> growws great in the clay I have - can't kill it despite plowing snow over
> it, dragging logs across it, etc.
>
Gypsum applications can reduce effects of compaction only if it was caused
by sodium-saturated exchange complexes in the soil. Gypsum will not reduce
compaction if compaction is caused by other factors. A specialized soil
test performed by a soil lab can reveal if sodium has saturated the
exchange complexes.

"Steveo" <moparholic [at] hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:20060531174923.909$AD [at] newsreader.com...
> "Srgnt Billko" <frrt [at] blipl.net> wrote:
>> "Steveo" <moparholic [at] hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:20060531165423.288$YB [at] newsreader.com...
>> > "Tom J" <tomnews [at] earthlink.net> wrote:
>> >> Stubby wrote:
>> >> > John H. wrote:
>> >> >> about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid down.
>> >> >> I'm pretty sure I remember the gardener using a tiller
>> >> >> however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> soil seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure to
>> >> >> soften up this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down on the
>> >> >> soil to make is less hard?
>> >> >> tia
>> >> >> John
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> > Gypsum will break up the clay.
>> >>
>> >> By just putting it on as a top dressing? I don't think so, but am
>> >> interesting to know how.
>> >>
>> >> Tom J
>> >>
>> > Don't waste your money.
>>
>> I kinda have to agree - even though all the garden books and experts
>> recommend gypsum. I cleaned out a local garden center at the end of one
>> season. Took all the gypsum they had left. Still had to build up with
>> tons of compost. But hey - that was for my garden area. The grass
>> growws great in the clay I have - can't kill it despite plowing snow over
>> it, dragging logs across it, etc.
>>
> Gypsum applications can reduce effects of compaction only if it was caused
> by sodium-saturated exchange complexes in the soil. Gypsum will not reduce
> compaction if compaction is caused by other factors. A specialized soil
> test performed by a soil lab can reveal if sodium has saturated the
> exchange complexes.

So why did you tell the guy it would be a waste of money instead of telling
him to get a soil test ?

"Srgnt Billko" <frrt [at] blipl.net> wrote:
> "Steveo" <moparholic [at] hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:20060531174923.909$AD [at] newsreader.com...
> > "Srgnt Billko" <frrt [at] blipl.net> wrote:
> >> "Steveo" <moparholic [at] hotmail.com> wrote in message
> >> news:20060531165423.288$YB [at] newsreader.com...
> >> > "Tom J" <tomnews [at] earthlink.net> wrote:
> >> >> Stubby wrote:
> >> >> > John H. wrote:
> >> >> >> about a year ago I had my back yard cleaned up and sod laid
> >> >> >> down. I'm pretty sure I remember the gardener using a tiller
> >> >> >> however now I have a section that isnt growing like the rest and
> >> >> >> the
> >> >> >> soil seem much harder than the rest. What would be the procedure
> >> >> >> to soften up this soil? Isnt there something you can throw down
> >> >> >> on the soil to make is less hard?
> >> >> >> tia
> >> >> >> John
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> > Gypsum will break up the clay.
> >> >>
> >> >> By just putting it on as a top dressing? I don't think so, but am
> >> >> interesting to know how.
> >> >>
> >> >> Tom J
> >> >>
> >> > Don't waste your money.
> >>
> >> I kinda have to agree - even though all the garden books and experts
> >> recommend gypsum. I cleaned out a local garden center at the end of
> >> one season. Took all the gypsum they had left. Still had to build up
> >> with tons of compost. But hey - that was for my garden area. The
> >> grass growws great in the clay I have - can't kill it despite plowing
> >> snow over it, dragging logs across it, etc.
> >>
> > Gypsum applications can reduce effects of compaction only if it was
> > caused by sodium-saturated exchange complexes in the soil. Gypsum will
> > not reduce compaction if compaction is caused by other factors. A
> > specialized soil test performed by a soil lab can reveal if sodium has
> > saturated the exchange complexes.
>
> So why did you tell the guy it would be a waste of money instead of
> telling him to get a soil test ?
>
Because in permanent crops when you have sodium built up, putting gypsum on
top of the soil is not an efficient way to get sodium reduction, because
there is very little soluble calcium in it. And that's what displaces
sodium.

Hope that helps you Sarge.

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