Gypsum

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Tell me more about it please. Is this something you put through a sprayer like a trace element tonic at a litre or three/ha?

I'm looking at bulk solid gypsum to help balance high magnesium clays - that's a numbers game where achieving this goal means tens of tonnes/ha required. @l'ordinary bonville uses a lot of bulk gypsum from the same supplier as me.
 

PSQ

Member
Arable Farmer
For any soil effect on clays it is usually applied in tonnes per Ha, and it’s usually FoC from the supplier with only haulage and application cost to contend with.

If it’s being applied from a can then it would need to have a proven margin over cost, in order to stop you from pointing and laughing hysterically at the salesman.
 

juke

Member
Location
DURHAM
Tell me more about it please. Is this something you put through a sprayer like a trace element tonic at a litre or three/ha?

I'm looking at bulk solid gypsum to help balance high magnesium clays - that's a numbers game where achieving this goal means tens of tonnes/ha required. @l'ordinary bonville uses a lot of bulk gypsum from the same supplier as me.
Agrovista are pushing it as part of their inovations range, autumn application straight after harvest through the sprayer. I can't remember exactly what the claim was but supposed to be more effective than powdered gypsum in increasing flocculation.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Agrovista are pushing it as part of their inovations range, autumn application straight after harvest through the sprayer. I can't remember exactly what the claim was but supposed to be more effective than powdered gypsum in increasing flocculation.

Hmm. I can see a small benefit from some readily available calcium and sulphur but the calcium requirement to displace magnesium is a big quantity. Tonnes/ha not grammes/ha.
 
Location
N Yorks
We started using liquid gypsum last year. About 5l/ha through the sprayer when applying glyphosate to stale seedbeds/covers etc.

Its effect should be more rapid than solid, hence i'm doing both for short term gain and longer term soil correction
 

Chalky

Member
As stated its a numbers game. Gypsum works by substitution of ions I believe, so as there are an awful lot of Mg+ions in the soil you are working, surely to have an effect, you need to supply an awful lot of Ca2+ ions substitute for them and make the Mg soluble to leach away as mag sulphate and leave the Ca in place. Cannot see how there can be that many Ca ions in 5L/ha as opposed to 10000kg/ha...

BTW 10t/ha does a grand job on heavy marsh clays by the Humber. We imported loads(grant aided) to rectify the 2013 Humber tidal inundation.
 

teslacoils

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
BTW 10t/ha does a grand job on heavy marsh clays by the Humber. We imported loads(grant aided) to rectify the 2013 Humber tidal inundation.

10t/ha does not sound like a lot. I can see a difference where it was stockpiled here but that must have had a fair rate per hectare effectively.
 

Chalky

Member
We disced and pressed as shallow as simbas would do and do a job 3-4 inches??

This stuff was not recycled it was first use stuff I believe, not that it should matter calcium sulphate is calcium sulphate. Years ago Tioxide used to supply that red stuff which was hopeless bar the sulphur 'but it was free'!!!

If we had not put all our heavy sea level stuff into AD grass leys, would still use it. Grass is doing far more than the gypsum ever would.
 

teslacoils

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Yes, the trioxide was awful. I walked some land that was for sale maybe ten years ago and you could still see lumps of it.

I spread some gypsum on the grass for the "double win". Best bit about the grass is you can take and spread at more cost effective times of the year.
 

Lincsman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Yes, the trioxide was awful. I walked some land that was for sale maybe ten years ago and you could still see lumps of it.

I spread some gypsum on the grass for the "double win". Best bit about the grass is you can take and spread at more cost effective times of the year.
I can still find red lumps in mine when ploughing... my hope/theory is its still supplying sulphur, where they had the heaps its still very crumbly.
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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