Using drywall in your soil

Can you break up or shred (in a chipper) drywall scraps and put them in your clay soil to help break in up? Are there any binders/other chemicals in the gypsum that would be harmful to either the soil or my cats (or any other critters)? Do you want to try to not use the paper coating?
Thank you very much for any response you may have at your convenience!

hollis@jett.net

Hollis

Here's good site about this subject:
http://www.wastecapwi.org/documents/BMP_drywall_on_home_sites_final.pdf

Gypsum has been used for centuries to amend clay soil. I wouldn't use the moisture or mold resistant wall board, though.

Thanks so much for posting this. I've never thought about using it in the garden, but I will have a lot of scrap drywall soon and it is good to know I might not have to chuck it into the landfill.

I think running the stuff through the chipper might help break the stuff down.

I like to use the sheets as a base for garden pathways. I tried thick layers of newspaper to smother the weeds but soon discovered I was farming termites. The drywall doesn't perform that sweet trick and I can cut the paths to width and angle. The drywall sticks to the clay soil and I can top with mulch whereas before a 2" or 3" layer of mulch would just get sucked down in to the clay soil after a few months.

I do throw the bits and dust of drywall into the compost pile but the larger pieces get sifted out and thrown into the next pile. The larger bits also get placed around like stepping stones and by sheets I mean pieces wide and long enough for a good path. I don't just go buy new drywall, but when we have had to take some down I don't just go crazy with the sledge hammer - too messy. We locate studs, (and power lines) score along side and snap off nice cleanish edges. There will be enough dust flying around when it comes time to tape and mud the new stuff....OH the JOY....

I actually put some drywall in the food chopper/processor with water and added it to my clay soil lawn. Grass suddenly looks a healthy green and grew a ton in that area. also grew in the spotty areas. All I used was a piece of drywall that was smaller than a piece of paper for that 10x10 lawn area too.

Running it through your chipper is going to dull the blades fast
In addition drywall is generally treated with a fungicide so i would not use it in a food garden
Clay soils in food gardens are generally addressed with a food grade agricultural gypsum