Gypsum is Calcium sulphate dihydrate. It replaces sodium in the soil and increases infiltration rates and decreases dispersion/erosion of clay particles. There are formulas on how much to use. An expensive solution to heavy clay soil is to excavate it and replace it with Sandy Loam soil with 20% compost. The expense is in the labor to remove the clay. Or build an 18" berm/little hill of Sandy Loam on top of the clay soil and plant on the berm. Be sure to till a little of the sandy loam into the top few inches of clay first. Adding compost, not mulch, to the soil also will help. Adding mulch, on top of the composed clay, to keep the soil covered is beneficial. Adding cheated iron helps to release the calcium in the soil so the plants can 'drink' it.

I made this today and loved it! I'm not sure it still qualifies as "healthy" when you return to the pan for multiple servings though:). Recipe found on "Damn Declicious" blog. PS...I only had about 1/2 cup of quinoa on hand so used orzo for the other half and it was still delish. ONE PAN MEXICAN QUINOA Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Total Time 35 minutes Yield 4 servings Wonderfully light, healthy and nutritious. And it's so easy to make - even the quinoa is cooked right in the pan! INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapenos, minced 1 cup quinoa 1 cup vegetable broth 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 cup corn kernels 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cumin Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced Juice of 1 lime 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves INSTRUCTIONS Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro. Serve immediately. This post was edited by funnygirl on Fri, Apr 11, 14 at 16:24

Hi.. thank you Gemini for thinking of me....I drop in now and again.. but my life is going 90 mph.. and I mostly post at TMH and FB anymore.... The lack of rain has stunted much of the corn, but some of it looks like it will make a few ears... and the tomatos are doing pretty good... but Larry wouldn't listen to me and bought some plants that that have played out some time ago... meaning that the plants become inferior over the years...but he is learning... aaand the hired help looking after it.. well can't see all that well, and we ended up losing a bunch of tomato plants to hornworms.. The blueberries are doing well.. and I am hoping to plant maybe another 150 next spring.. We have been to Iowa twice to pick up some of his belongings, and to go to his daughters graduation from college.. and to Missouri a bunch of times... This month we have made two trips to Missouri to the VA hospital to get a cyst checked.. and now they tell us he has to have major surgery in St. Louis since the cyst us growing over his carotid artery... We were in st. Louis this week to see his cardiologist. and got a clean bill of health there.. Yahoooey.. and we went to visit yet another cousin... While in Fisk, Mo at his place there.. I decided to clean out his kitchen.. (typical batchelor quarters.. ) I spent two days on that.. and ended up bringing home a bunch of boxes full of Revere Wear and restaurant china dishes.. and some utensils... a deep fryer, a forman grill, and I can't even recall everything...I'll say this.. the man should go down in the Guuinness book of world records for stuffing sooon much stuff into his cupboards.. holey moley joe.. arry has given me free reign to do whatever it is I wish to do to his place there... so the wheels are a turning.. lol While in Fisk this trip, we went yto Dexter to look at some 5th wheel RV's.. and I found one that I loved and surprise surprise.. it isn't the most expensive one.. LOL It was a 38 foot RV.. and he was all set to go get it since I liked it... (crazy man).. but I want to see if I can get one similar slightly used for half of what this one cost new.. and besides.. we have so much to do this year that we don't have time to go anywhere for a month or two at a time.. He wants to go to the keys for a couple of months next winter.. and I love the idea... especially since I love snorkeling... and we can take the pups.. We had planned on getting hitched next Feb. 14th. but I have put it off for a bit longer.. there are a few loose ends I need to get tied up first.. and I need for our pastor to help me with some counseling about his beliefs... Suffice it to say... I have been busy busy busy and we have been like Willie Nelson... "On the road again ". LOL Hugs, Carolyn

Sunshine, MY GOD, so many figs. I never get that many. Do you have any secrets in growing them to get that many? Do you fertilize them? Often? Are they in big pots? Do they sleep all winter? Fantastic job my friend) Brian buddy, can you feel fall in the air? At least smell it? I'm so depressed buddy. I know these beautiful warm nights will be over soon. Many complain it's too hot here, but I love the temps warm enough at night to wear sandals and a t-shirt! I love getting out of this a.c. building to be enveloped into the warm air when I get out and hear the birds flying over head and the crickets at night on a windless night. So tranquil and relaxing. I am not looking forward to the winds and change buddy, sad. The mornings are dark now and the nights dark so much earlier than a week ago. I am beginning to feel like I don't want to make room for my trees in fall. I would love to just bring in my favorite and let the rest go buddy. Although young, I don't think I can muster up energy to even try to grow them all winter. Yes, that thing scared me half to death buddy! To be trying to get rid of one in my room with my boxers on at 10 at night, and to get chased by one after work. Yuk! Then when I went to water my plants on my flat roof, wouldn't you know they crapped on my favorite jades. I am going to get rid of them. It has not rained here for a few days buddy and today it reached a whopping 98 degrees! Hot and no rain. Back to drought again buddy(( Hugs right back at you. By the way, what a beautiful picture of that butterfly and your trees!! I am getting into the butterfly thingy and growing milk weed for that purpose not to say the flowers smell so sweet too)) Brian, question? I was wondering if you think it's better if we cut our trees way back in Spring so that they are manageable to bring in without cutting back in fall? Does cutting them back in fall encourage them to put out poor spindly growth for winter like candy for bugs? What do you think? I was wondering this the other day buddy. Nancy, well look at that! It's amazing what warm sunny weather will do. That's why it's so depressing to not be able to stick them in a nice large greenhouse all winter. I can't stand subjecting them to less than ideal conditions for months on end((( Great job! Nancy, you are a riot. That big wow. Oh yeah, beach weather here we come lol Amy, wow....It wouldn't surprise me if they took a liking to citrus.lol Who knows these days. Stay cool and make sure to hydrate. Jenny you are a gem. Precious in my eyes. Thanks for all you do here. Mike