TOPIC: wild simulated or woodsgrown?

I have recently cleared an acre of understory. I plan on planting this area in late Sept. The PH is 6.8-7.0 and calcium is only running about 1500. If I ad calcium (gypsum), will the classification change from wild sim. to woodsgrown? The soil has not been worked with anything but hand tools (rake and hoe). I want to keep it as wild sim. but it will take a lot of sugar maple leafs to raise the calcium.

reeder49
It probably could still be considered wild simulated, as long as you let it grow naturally.

Hi Reeder49,

I agree with Rootman, I don't consider gypsum or some of the other basics to be 'fertilizer' and therefore in my opinion (as Rootman suggests) it should not change the classification. I would be much more concerned about the high PH (nearing neutral) that you have. Ginseng typically prefers acidic soil. While it should grow ok for you, a range of 6.0 -6.7 would be better and I would prefer to see it slightly below that even.

The problem is that it might take years to adjust the PH in a way that will last.

Thanks for the replies. I have been wondering about the ph. I have a portable soil tester that I've been taking in the woods lately. When I find some wild root I measure the ph of the soil. High 6s seem to be a common ph here in Indiana. Have thought of putting pine needles with the mulch. I'm not sure if that will drop the ph much though.

I have ginseng growing in 6.5 PH and it is doing great. However I have calcium at 6700 PPA in that spot.
1500 PPA on calcium is a true concern as that is low. Should be twice that IMHO.
Latt