TOPIC: Gypsum....

The gypsum that I found is 22.00 for 50 pound bag.Is there a cheaper source?

I also found an organic fertilizer that is 3-14-5 plus has all the under nutrients like boron,sulfer etc.I was wondering if this would be ok for starter beds if used sparingly!!!!

Thanks again Frank

Frank,

Your Gypsum is quite a bit more expensive than the option I have been lucky enough to find at a county farmers co-op in a near by county.

Mine is the Sof-n-Soil brand, and I get 40 lb bag for $6.25.

If you research that Sof-n-Soil brand down in the details you can also find that it is from a mined source, not synthetic.

That is something to look out for with gypsum - not all gypsum being sold is the raw mined mineral. Some of it is a synthetic by-product of coal fired electric plants (polution control system) The synthetic stuff is basically what is left over after they do what they have to do to cut down on polution from coal fired electric generators. You can get that really cheap and it is approved for ag use - the soybean, corn, cotton, etc grown all over TN and I'm sure many other states is fertilized with the synthetic ag gypsum.

I would not want to use that on my ginseng though, and it does not qualify as organic either, but is approved for ag use (same as other chemical fertilizers are).

You might want to shop around some and see if you can find a cheaper source for natural mined gypsum - see if anyone carries that sof-n-soil brand in your area.

On that organic fertilizer you mentioned. That does look interesting, low on N, but high on P and with some K alwo.

I would prefer something with basically no N, but with some P and K.

Can you tell us the brand name ?

I would like to see what the sources for the organic fertilizer is.

To be that high on P, I would think that it would have to have some {bone) in it, like bone meal, or bone char.

The bone meal brand that I use on my garden is 0-10-0 but now Bone Meal should only be used if your PH is below your target PH, becaues Bone Meal will raise your PH.

See if you can find any info on how this organic fertilizer will affect PH. If your PH is ideal already (around 5.5) then you sure would not want to add anything that will raise it.

Best of Luck

TNhunter

Here is a list of organic fertilizer sources, shows what N P K they generally give and how they release.

As you can see bone meal is the only one that even gets near the P rating your organic fertilizer is stating.

I read about another bone type product a while back called \"bone char\" that is supposed to give higher amounts of P than standard bone meal. I suppose your product could have the newer bone char in it. I am not sure how bone char might affect ph though.

Would be good to find out exactly what P source they are using and check it out for how it might affect PH.

I am really interested in this one since my soil is borderline low on P. (11 pounds per acre - per soil test).

TNhunter

Frank,

Check out the distributors list for sof-n-soil below.

That same company - gypsumsolutoins also has a Ben Franklin product that looks good. You might check out the distributors list for it too.

www.gypsumsolutions.com/distributor/Bran...ibutors.asp?brand=27

Good Luck

TNhunter

Tn

Thanks a million...I'm glad you cleared up about synthetic Gypsum.I never knew that....Learn something new everyday....

The Organic fertlizer is Espoma {I think I spelled it right}.I've used that brand on my gardens with great luck...At least the bone and blood meal is all I ever used ...This was a General fertlizer from that company....

I went to the local CO-OP and Grain mills in the area.I'll have to find a better source for gypsum I guess.

For raised seed bed I found hard wood mulch.I'm gonna mix that with red Peat and sand.I just want the rootlets for transplants later on.Plus the real reason is I can learn in my back yard.The other bed I want to put in Golden seal for the same reason...

Thanks again for your time.......Frank

Tn

Sorry told you wrong..Looked at too much stuff it's 4-3-3- Bio start is what it is. The 14 is strait bone meal at 0-14-2.Thats what I bought to start the beds

Thanks Frank................

FTB,

I found their website and products list, but checked out each product line and could not find one with the N P K rating that you mentioned.

www.espoma.com/p_consumer/products_overview.html

They do have a bulb tone product that is 3-5-3.

They do list garden gypsum and rock phospate in the organic traditions line.

I think that (if needed based on soil test) that gypsum should be used for calcium (and will not affect PH), and if you also test low on phosphorous (10 or below) you might consider adding some rock phosphate. As I understand it, the rock phosphate is a slow release product, and would need to be mixed into the soil before planting.

TNhunter