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511 mix Gypsum instead of Lime (lemon tree)

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hi All,

Ok I may have made a slight cock up and need a quick question answered. I basically added gypsum instead of lime (was thinking of gritty mix) when making my 511 mix for my dwarf meyer.

Can i just add a bit to the mix after on top or mix it with water? what is the best method?

Cheers

Ben

Featured Answer

myermike_1micha

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Try adding Epsom Salts into your fertilizer solution to balance off the Ca uptake...You need to use the salts if you are using Gypsum..You will get an antagonistic effect where the other nutrients are held up if too much of one thing Ca, which supersedes another...

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Comments (9)

johnmerr
8 years ago
Lime will raise the pH; it is applied to acid soils to do that; gypsum will improve soil structure, especially for clay soils; and improve water uptake, but will not affect the pH. So, I guess it depends on what you are starting with; and what you want to end with... I don't know nuttin about 511 mix; so none of this might be helpful. FYI lime Calcium carbonate; and gypsum Calcium Sulfate are often confused, even by farmers and vendors.
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bopwinter
Original Author
8 years ago
My lemon, Lime have been potted in it for about 4 weeks and the Lemon seems to be getting even paler in colour, even though I am feeding it quite a bit.

The Feijoa is growing loads, but dropping alot of leaves, so wondering it they are not enjoying the low PH that the 511 mix naturally is. What I am wondering is how is it best to apply the lime?
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Almost all nurseries, garden centers, and big box stores will have dolomitic (garden lime) now or soon. The purpose of the lime in the 5:1:1 mix is twofold. It raises pH to what is a more favorable level for most plants, and serves as a source of both Ca and Mg. You CAN make the 5:1:1 mix w/o it for plants that prefer a more acidic medium, but it's not necessary. The best way to control pH is via the pH of your irrigation/fertigation water. If you DON'T use lime, you need to be sure you are supplying both Ca and Mg in your fertilizer (most soluble fertilizers lack both Ca & Mg) or by including CaSO4 (gypsum) in your soil and including some MgSO4 (Epsom salts) in your fertilizer regimen. Gypsum and Epsom salts contribute Ca ans Mg (respectively) w/o any significant impact on the p[H of the soil or soil solution. I remove ALL of the old soil from everything I pot or repot in the gritty mix. I sometimes do it over 2 repotting sessions in consecutive years, but I do try to be sure I don't leave any of the old soil on the roots. No need to let the gritty mix rest under any circumstances. The 5:1:1 mix would be better left to rest for a week (if it's moist) so the Ca can get through the reactive phase to where there is a residual fraction that is more readily available for uptake. That said, I very often plant in 5:1:1 I made the same day. I do try to use soil that I made a week earlier for anything prone to BER, though. Al
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Reclaimed sheetrock or drywall is comparable to mined gypsum. We have been recycling sheet rock as a soil ammendment for 12 years and testing our products. We are permitted & licensed. The binders refered to are biodegradable corn starch. Use reguler or type X drywall. I would not use fire rated or moisture resistance due to unknow addatives. any questions contact me terry@usagypsum.com Terry Weaver www.usagypsum.com Here is a link that might be useful: USA Gypsum
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Hey, everyone! :-) Lime is not critical, as long as you're using appropriate fertilizer. Yes, the pH of the media may be a little low (as Mike says, the bark and peat vary), but the pH creeps upward over time as tap and fertilizer salts accumulate in the mix. Typically, we attempt to mitigate this by adding white vinegar or another acidifier to our watering/fertilizing solution. I think you could put some of your mix in a cup, then soak with distilled water. After a few minutes, pour off some of the water and test the pH. This should give some idea of pH, although I'm sure it's not exact. The truth is, the pH of the media itself isn't quite as important in a container as it is in the ground. The pH of the solution with which we add fertilizer tends to be more important. That said, I'd scratch some Lime into the upper layer of the mix once the tree establishes itself in a few weeks. Be sure to cover the Lime with mix or mulch, then water into the mix. What is the volume of the container that the tree is in? Josh
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Hi Mike. Yes, growing citrus, I'm learning, is clearly an exercise in patients(!); the trend seems to be about 5-6 months recovery from leaf drop following repotting. You'd think I would have learned a bit on waiting, as my inground Meyers have yet to produce ripe fruit. Thankfully, there are various sized fruit hanging and I might even harvest at least one ripe one this winter! Speaking of winter, Mike, I remember reading back on another post of your winter leaf drop problem, and someone had suggested keeping your (wasn't it Meyer lemon?) tree in much cooler environs between freezing and 50 degree temps (in an unheated garage, if I recall correctly)? Did you try this and did it work for you? If Charlie lives, one day he may have to move to a house in NY, so I'll need every help in this forum to keep him and other citrus alive in Zone 6! mgk65/Mike(?): In your top pic, 2nd from right, is that a Kaffir lime and if so, have you tried making Thai curry with the leaves, which I hear is quite yummy!
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BahamaDan Zone 12b Subtropics
8 years ago
I assume since gypsum does not affect pH you could add the amount of lime you normally would but I'm happy to be corrected if this is not the case.
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johnmerr
8 years ago
I don't see the point in adding the lime; unless you specifically want to raise the pH of the mix. Have you measured the pH of your mix? If it is 5.5 or higher, I would just leave it alone.
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bopwinter
Original Author
8 years ago
All I have is a basic PH meter, which could be wildly out (people have said). What does everyone use to measure PH that is reliable?
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johnmerr
8 years ago
I use a pH meter, albeit not the cheapest one on the block. Make sure your soil is wet, then take several readings over some time; it is not necessary to be too accurate; but good to know if you have acid or high pH.
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bopwinter
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks everyone.
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greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
8 years ago
Mike is correct. You don't want to add even more Calcium at this point, so simply bring the Magnesium back into balance.

Also, unless you're in a very mild location with lots of sun, leaf-loss and paling leaves are completely predictable from a re-potting so late in the season.

Josh
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