Gypsum is one of those rare materials that performs in all areas of soil treatment: amendment, conditioner and fertiliser all in one.

- Gypsum has an elemental value of 24% Calcium and 18% Sulphur

- It is more soluble than agricultural lime. Both Gypsum and Lime facilitate the leaching of slower acting lime deeper into the subsoil to reduce acidity.

- Gypsum will flocculate and condition soil without increasing pH unlike lime (calcium carbonate) which increases pH.

- Gypsum adds valuable Sulphate Sulphur to the soil in a form that is readily plant available.

- Gypsum will counteract the acidifying process of growing maize silage. The recommended annual replacement of calcium from a maize crop is 600 to 800 kg/ha Lime per year

- Gypsum enables the soil structure to become more porous enhancing greater soil aeration.

- An increase of calcium through Gypsum will help increase water holding capacity, water infiltration rate and encourage deeper plant root growth.

- Gypsum reduces high levels of aluminium in solution in the soil particularly on volcanic ash soils.

- Gypsum improves soil structure. It will bust soil ‘pans' that restrict deeper root development.

- Gypsum dries soils out quicker after surface flooding or long periods of wet weather. (clay soils)

- Gypsum enhances friendly soil bacteria and discourages root and plant disease

- Gypsum stimulates deeper rooting, especially water roots. The calcium in gypsum increases the activity of soil organisms which break down plant material and organic matter.

- Gypsum amends ‘element lockup' in the soil and makes essential nutrients more plant available eg phosphate, nitrogen, potash, iron and zinc.

- Soil treated often with gypsum requires 30% less water to grow a productive crop than soils that have had no recent gypsum or lime application.

Recommended application rates: Add 100kg/ha of Gypsum to 300kg/ha of Dicalcic phosphate for fertilising

Add 1 tonne of Gypsum to 1 tonne Ag Lime/ha to reduce subsoil acidity and lift soil pH.
These can be safely increased to 4 tonnes/ha if the pH is lower than 5.9 or the soil is very compacted or high in sodium.

Gypsum, Ag Lime and Dicalcic Phosphate are some of the many fertiliser and Trace Element products available at TerraCare Fertilisers, 83 Jack Russell Drive, Te Awamutu

0800 729 961
wwww.terracare.co.nz