"Steveo" wrote in message
...
"Srgnt Billko" wrote:
"Steveo" wrote in message
...
"Tom J" 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 ?