I had dirt moved onto the land around my house this last hot season so now that I am putting in my little veggie garden i have a plot of new dirt. It came from a rice paddy and is very rich clay and hard to work by hand.

Long ago and far away I built a new house on what had been a rice field west of Houston, Tx, and the ground was about the same. The first year when I put in my garden I turned it over with a potato fork and broke 5 or 6 handles. My dad told me to work in 400lbs of gypsum which I did, had a beautiful garden that year and the next year I turned it over with a hoe.

So, this has been a long route to the question can I buy agricultral gypsum here? If so, what is it called and/or how is it packaged? Any help would be appreciated.

I've used "GreenCal" here in the past: http://www.dktgypsum.com

Rgds

Khonwan

Would this Green Cal be a decent substitute for bone meal?

http://www.gypsum.co.nz/pages/product/whyusegypsum.php

Primary Values:

Adds sulfate and calicum to the soil in balanced proportions that will not significantly increase the soil pH.

Recommended uses:

• Great for adding to soils in need of sulfur where a drop in pH is not desirable.
  
• Good to add to soils needing both sulfur and calcium.
  
• Ok to add to soils in need of calcium where an increase in pH is not desirable.
  
• Wonderful facilitator for removal of excessive levels of sodium or magnesium.
  

Best Practices:

• Use a soil test to determine if this gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) is the best amendment to use in your situation.
  
• Carefully follow the recommendations made on your laboratory test to achieve the desired results.
  
• Sulfate is water-soluble and as a consequence it will move through the soil very quickly in areas of high rainfall, under heavy irrigation practices, in sandy soils and in soils low in organic matter. Timing of application and other adjustments may need to be made too maximize value to the soil.
  
• Sulfur and Calicum Source. Most often used as a sulfur source because it has no liming value. It is important to work with recommendations of your agronomist to determine just how much gypsum is needed for your situation.
  
• Sodium/Magnesium Removal. Ask your agronomist to tell you how much gypsum to add, how deep to mix the gypsum, and how much good quality water you will need to apply to achieve the desired level of removal.
  

Would this Green Cal be a decent substitute for bone meal?

No. It's very different.

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/how-t...s-bonemeal.aspx

GreenCal seems to be exactly what I am looking for. thanks Khonwan, now to see if I can find it around here.

GreenCal seems to be exactly what I am looking for. thanks Khonwan, now to see if I can find it around here.

Email them for a local re-seller; they are one of the few companies in Thailand that I’ve ever received an email reply from. Or phone them – they have at least one chap there who speaks reasonably good English.

Rgds

Khonwan

Would this Green Cal be a decent substitute for bone meal?

No. It's very different.

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/how-t...s-bonemeal.aspx

A friend of mine who lives near Satahip is convinced the he needs bone meal for his garden. He asked me to see if I could find a source for him. I have not found a source other than expensive nursery suppliers selling it in small bags for roses. Maybe gypsum for the calcium and commercial fertilizer for the phosphorous will satisfy him and his garden.

Rock phosphate is available at most garden shop. 20 kilo bags for cheap (I forget how much)