Pelletized Gypsum (calcium sulfate) removes sodium in soil and replaces it with calcium and sulfur, which are essential macronutrients not typically applied during fertilization which help boost plant health. Gypsum works great at loosening compact clay soil by pulling particles together creating porous spaces for air, water and plant roots. Gypsum also increases water storage and reduces erosion. This amendment is great for any soil type since it will improve soil structure while not altering pH. Gypsum is a moderately, soluble source, that performs in all three categories of soil treatment: a conditioner, a nutrient provider and an amendment. 

Gypsum improves compacted soil by breaking it up, increasing water infiltration rates, reducing erosion losses of important plant nutrients as well as soluble phosphorus water run-off.

No, gypsum is not a true fertilizer that provides needed N-P-K levels for plants, but rather helps plants by introducing calcium and sulfur, essential macronutrients not typically applied during normal fertilization methods, to help soil perform better by enhancing nutrient availability and improving soil structure. Gypsum also improves utilization of calcium, magnesium, potassium and other cations difficult to consume from the soil.

Gypsum amends soil aggregation by preventing dispersion of soil particles, reducing surface crust formation and compaction; promoting deep rooting and seeding emergence as well as amending sodic soil reclamation.

Fertilizing is just not enough when preparing and managing a lawn’s health. Although fertilizer helps put needed macronutrients like Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium back into soil for plant uptake, soil amendments like gypsum are necessary to make the nutrients you apply available to the plant as well as adding critical macronutrients to your soil.

If your soil is compacted, deficient in calcium and sulfur, or suffering from salt toxicity, gypsum is the solution for you. A soil test is recommended in order to better understand macronutrient deficiencies, base saturation levels (percentage of nutrient holding sites occupied by cation), as well as, soil salt toxicity and overall soil chemistry. Testing the soil is also helpful when applying gypsum applications in order to determine appropriate rates of application. Review all label instruction before applying. 

Since Gypsum can be used on any soil type because it does not alter the soil pH level, you don’t have to balance your pH level before applying. Also, since Gypsum is not a fertilizer, it can be used before or after a fertilizer application, anytime of the season.

TurfCare™ has a great gypsum product that gets the results you need and more! They offer an enhanced pelletized Gypsum product powered by AMP-XC™ with Humic and Iron. This enhanced product includes not only Gypsum, but also a protein hydrolysate (AMP-XC™), concentrated organic materials (Humic) and the most important element involved in greening (Iron). This powerful combination of ingredients activates the benefits of gypsum along with several beneficial biological and environmental responses in the plant and soil and greatly improves the health and lush green appearance of turf.