"How To" by Geordie

[Jaxom]

This thread is put together by me, but all the advice comes from Geordie.
It is intended to be a basic "How To" information/advice point for anyone who has found all of Geordie’s past posts to be of help.
Each post will be a section in itself. The first will be Compost. As the year progresses and people ask elsewhere in the Grapevine for Geordie’s help I will update this thread to show the extra information as it is posted.
I am only acting as the compiler/archivist and will not be making any further personal posts. Can Grapes please use this as a Read only section. If you have any questions please PM me.
Jax

[Jaxom]

Compost Part 1

Compost Part 1

Ok here goes.....

for the raw materials to make good compost the heap will need to generate heat. Essentially this comes from some of the raw materials but you need to concentrate on keeping the heat in by insulating. How you insulate will depend somewhat on outside temperatures. This is generally why a cover is placed on top of the heap. At this time of year a cover is needed, the heap will slow down anyway.....possibly even stop. You may need to give it a 'kick start' in spring.

As for food waste put any fresh vegetable waste on compost heap....can even use cooked waste veg (no gravey!), do not put things like meat or fish etc on as it will attract vermin. Fruit can be composted (eg banana skin) but to avoid fruit flies bury in middle of heap. Generally you have two types of material:
Brown materials

Brown materials have lots of carbon and are generally tougher for creatures (e.g. friendly bacteria and worms) to break down. Brown materials provide compost with important air pockets because they do not squash together as easily as green materials.

Cardboard (crumpled/torn up)
Hedge trimmings
Leaves
Small amounts of newspaper (crumpled/torn up)
Egg shells
Bedding from vegetarian pet cages


Green materials

Green materials have lots of nitrogen and are broken down quickly.

Cut flowers
Fruit & vegetable waste
Garden & house plants
Grass cuttings
Tea bags & coffee grounds
You can introduce good bacteria by adding a few handfuls of soil, manure or finished home compost, to give the process a kick start.

The materials in your compost bin should be moist to touch. Gently squeeze a handful of compost: if it feels dry and dusty you should add some water; if it feels slimy and soggy you should mix in some brown materials to soak up some of the excess moisture.

When your compost is ready, it will be crumbly and brown. It should look like soil and you should not be able to make out the original shape of any of the materials that were put in your compost bin.

Depending upon type of compost bin used or size of heap it will need to be turned....ie the iside which should be composted first needs to be moved to the outside and the outside moved to the inside to compost. Generally a heap will need to be qiute large to generate the heat required.
You can compost citrus fruit but only in very small quantities as it raises the acidity of the heap.
Hope this helps...anything else just ask and i will try to answer

[

[Jaxom]

Compost Part 2

Compost Part 2

Ok to answer your questions, starting with Wizer,

Site the bin over soil or lawn rather than concrete or tarmac, to take advantage of the earthworms, beneficial microbes, and other decomposers, which will migrate up and down as the seasons change. Uncovered soil also allows for drainage. You dont need to add worms as they will magically appear (in theory)!!

I would start with a thin layer of twigs or similar and then add alternative layers of green / brown waste (see earlier post). In areas with a cold winter, spring is the best time to start the compost bin in earnest. There's an abundance of grass clippings and trimmings. Summer is the time the compost pile is working at its peak range of decomposition, especially if it has been turned once or twice. Cover and store the finished compost, or use it, and start another batch. With enough organic waste, you can produce several batches of highly managed compost during the summer.

To kick start your compost add some manure. It is one of the finest materials you can add to any compost pile. It contains large amounts of both nitrogen and beneficial microbes.

Just as a side note.....if you paid the price quoted on your link ...many local councils will sell you a similar bin at a discounted price (about £10).

Now Dni_Dave.....horse manure....ideally it should finish as a dark brown getting on for black colour, no real smell and a dryish, flaky sort of tobacco type consistency. This typically takes about a year from conception! All the books will point you to this nirvana but in the real world.......
I get manure delivered once a year....its generally fresh ie just been created by the animals. I get a trailor load from a farmer and it fills 2 large timber bins each approx 1x1x1.5 metre I always have some left over and just spread that across 2 beds. shock horror!
The reason I add manure like this, i have a heavy soil and it helps loosen the clay, i am not going to plant on the beds untill April so weather will help break down manure, (washing away most of the nutrient benefit in the process), and it acts as a weed supressing mulch. The two bins i cover and leave till next Autumn when it will be dug into the soil.

I have 3 compost bins and all get the same type of mix.....how you make your compost depends upon how involved you want to be -

(When your compost is finished, leave some in the bin to kickstart you next lot of materials.)

Compost can range from passive - allowing the materials to sit and rot on their own - to highly managed. Whenever you intervene in the process, you're managing the compost. How you compost is determined by your goal. If you're eager to produce as much compost as possible to use regularly in your garden, you may opt for a more hands-on method of composting. If your goal is to dispose of garden waste, a passive method is your answer.

Passive composting involves the least amount of time and energy on your part. This is done by collecting organic materials in a freestanding bin. It might take a long time (a year or two), but eventually organic materials in any type of a pile will break down into finished compost. Add grass clippings, leaves, and kitchen scraps (always cover these with 8" of other material). The pile will shrink quickly as the materials compress and decompose. Wait a year or two before checking the bottom of the bin for finished compost. When it's ready, shovel the bottom section into a wheelbarrow and add it to your garden beds. Continue to add greens and browns to have a good supply of finished compost at the ready. After the first few years, most simple piles produce a few cubic feet of finished compost yearly.

Managed composting involves active participation, ranging from turning the pile occasionally to a major commitment of time and energy. If you use all the techniques of managing the pile, you can get finished compost in 3-4 weeks. Choose the techniques that reflect how much you want to intervene in the decomposition process and that will be a function of how fast you want to produce compost.

The speed with which you produce finished compost will be determined by how you collect materials, whether you chop them up, how you mix them together, and so on. Achieving a good balance of carbon and nitrogen is easier if you build the pile all at once. Layering is traditional, but mixing the materials works as well.

Shredded organic materials heat up rapidly, decompose quickly, and produce a uniform compost. The decomposition rate increases with the size of the composting materials. If you want the pile to decay faster, chop up large fibrous materials.

You can add new materials on an ongoing basis to an already established pile. Most single-bin gardeners build an initial pile and add more ingredients on top as they become available.

The temperature of the managed pile is important - it indicates the activity of the decomposition process. The easiest way to track the temperature inside the pile is by feeling it. If it is warm or hot, everything is fine. If it is the same temperature as the outside air, the microbial activity has slowed down and you need to add more nitrogen (green) materials such as grass clippings, kitchen waste, or manure.

If the pile becomes too dry, the decay process will slow down. Organic waste needs water to decompose. The rule of thumb is to keep the pile as moist as a wrung-out sponge.

If you're building your pile with very wet materials, mix them with dry materials as you build. If all the material is very dry, soak it with a hose as you build. Whenever you turn the pile, check it for moisture and add water as necessary.

Too much water is just as detrimental as the lack of water. In an overly wet pile, water replaces the air, creating an anaerobic environment, slowing decomposition.

Air circulation is an important element in a compost pile. Most of the organisms that decompose organic matter are aerobic - they need air to survive. There are several ways to keep your pile breathing. Try not to use materials that are easily compacted such as ashes or sawdust, without mixing them with a coarser material first. People who build large piles often add tree branches or even ventilation tubes vertically into different parts of the pile, to be shaken occasionally, to maximize air circulation.


A more labor-intensive way to re-oxygenate the pile is to turn the pile by hand, using a large garden fork. The simplest way is to move the material from the pile and restack it alongside. A multiple-bin system makes this efficient, in that you only handle the material once. Otherwise, you can put the material back into the same pile. The object is to end up with the material that was on the outside of the original pile, resting in the middle of the restacked pile. This procedure aerates the pile and will promote uniform decomposition.

I have tried to provide you with a simple problem / solution guide:

Damp and warm only in the middle of the pile - Pile could be too small, or cold weather might have slowed composting
If you are only composting in piles, make sure your pile is at least 3 feet high and 3 feet wide. With a bin, the pile doesn't need to be so large.

Nothing is happening.Pile doesn't seem to be heating up at all -
1. Not enough nitrogen
2. Not enough oxygen
3. Not enough moisture
4. Cold weather?
5. Compost is finished.
1. Make sure you have enough nitrogen rich sources like manure, grass clippings or food scraps.
2. Mix up the pile so it can breathe.
3. Mix up the pile and water it with the hose so that there is some moisture in the pile. A completely dry pile doesn't compost.
4. Wait for spring, cover the pile, or use a bin.

Matted leaves or grass clippings aren't decomposing - Poor aeration, or lack of moisture. Avoid thick layers of just one material. Too much of something like leaves, paper or grass clippings don't break down well. Break up the layers and mix up the pile so that there is a good mix of materials. Shred any big material that isn't breaking down well.

Stinks like rancid butter, vinegar or rotten eggs - Not enough oxygen, or the pile is too wet, or compacted.
Mix up the pile so that it gets some aeration and can breathe. Add course dry materials like straw, hay or leaves to soak up excess moisture. If smell is too bad, add dry materials on top and wait until it dries out a bit before you mix the pile.

Odor like ammonia - Not enough carbon. Add brown materials like leaves, straw, hay, shredded newspaper, etc. .

Attracts rodents, flies, or other animals - Inappropriate materials (like meat, oil, bones), or the food-like material is too close to the surface of the pile. Bury kitchen scraps near the center of the pile. Don't add inappropriate materials to compost. Switch to a rodent-proof closed bin.

Attracts insects, millipedes, slugs, etc - This is normal composting, and part of the natural process. Not a problem.

You should now be producing the finest compost known to man after this post, a little rambling and some repitition i know but hey...you did ask!

[Jaxom]

Compost part 3

Compost part 3
Weeds on the Compost Heap

Firstly, well done on taking the plunge....i hope you get loads of enjoyment from your allotment.

As for the weeds, generally you can compost annual weeds but with perennial weeds you may be better off burning or bagging and removing etc.

In practice when clearing an allotment it may be an idea to just dump them all in a heap in the corner. This way you do not have to be to strict about how much soil is still attached to the roots etc. It will all rot down over time and can then be spread back onto the garden. You may find that some of the perennials do start to grow again...just pull them out and dispose how you wish.
I have assumed you want to weed by hand (not compulsery!)

Manure and their use

Ok, first off Lottie,

Neat horse manure has very high levels of ammonia, (because of the high urine content), and if used around plants will probably scorch them. I would imagine this and the relativly high temperatures a new manure heap can generate, (ever seen it steaming!), will kill any worms you add to it in the beginning. It is possible for seeds to germinate in manure heaps....after all horses eat grass etc. For these 3 reasons manure is left to 'age' for want of a better word....3 months is ok...6 months is better...12 months is ideal.

How you age this is not important; you can spread some to cover bare soil in october or november.....by the time you plant out in April the manure will be fine. You can pile it up on its own or combine it with other material to form a general compost heap.

As for which type of manure is best.....heres my guide..you choose!

<LI>Pig manure is rich in potash, and when well humified, is best applied to root crops, especially potassium-hungry leeks, celeriac and potatoes. Pigs are primarily rooting animals, feeding on roots they dig up.
Horse manure is light and will lighten heavy clay soils. Horses feed primarily on foliage and grass; consequently, their manure aids leaf and foliage development. Horse manure, which is rich in ammonia, will heat steadily for a long time. This makes it ideal for use in hot beds for raising seedlings in the spring. For a home garden, or even a larger garden where no greenhouse is available, this is a good way to start plants.
Cow manure is best for composting purposes, as the nutrients have been stabilised in the long digestive process of the animal.
Rabbit manure, rich in nitrogen, is good for foliage, stem and shrubbery development.
Chicken, pigeon, and other bird manure is good for seeds, flowers and fruits, because their manure is rich in phosphorus. Chicken manure, which is sticky, wet, and odorous, is hard to compost. It is best made into a liquid compost by mixing it into ten parts water and letting it ferment in a barrel (stir regularly for 6-8 weeks).
<LI>Sheep and goat manure are excellent for increasing the quality and aroma of fruits and the oil content of herbs.
As for Clarea1 it is the cold temperatures that have slowed or even stopped your compost bin from working! Toward the spring add some 'Russian Tea'. Simply put some manure in a plastic bag, tie the handles to stop it escaping, pierce several holes in the bag, drop it in a barrel of water and leave for a couple of weeks. Water this over the compost heap a couple of times and should act as a kickstart. Untill the spring just keep adding the best balance of raw materials you can.

In the real world a compost bin that starts to work around April will have more than finished its work by October....unless you want to go to extreme lengths to help it through the winter, eg bringing it inside the house, possibly a spare bedroom next to a radiator! (joke)

Happy Decomposing

[Jaxom]

Composting Part 4

Composting Part 4
Leafmould and pine needles

Hi Acorn,

Pine needles will compost but slowly, possibly taking two or three years. If composted on their own it will produce an acidic medium so be aware of this, depending on what proportion of needles v leaves you compost.

In practice if you just want to add the leafmould to the soil and not use it for, say, potting compost then just bag up your mix and leave it for 18 months. After this time it will be there or thereabouts and should be fine to use.

Bear in mind that the final leafmould is about 10% of the volume of leaves you start with. (My own guesstimate!)

Wood Ash

I posted an article all about the benefits of composting and I do stand by that but there comes a time when nothing short of a good bonfire will do!
As allotments and gardens are cleared many people have an annual bonfire, (where permitted!) so these are my tips for the many uses of the wood ash you are left with.

• mix it with peas to repel the mice
• plant potatoes in wood ash if scab is a problem
• Set your root crops in a furrow, cover with ash and water the furrow. Cover with a plank of wood and check daily for slugs & snails. This speeds germination and provides a fertiliser.
• Scatter ash from fine nylon mesh over brassicas to repel cabbage whites and kill the caterpillars.
• Ash strewn amongst carrots and onions can deter the respective flys
• Spread amongst Gooseberry bushes and on leaves it will deter sawfly, shake the caterpillars onto the ash and they will not climb back.
• Infuse in water for a foliar spray
• Add to a compost (aaha heres the link!!) heap that has become to acidic (fruit flies can indicate acidity).
• Mix in generous amounts with pine needles to make the best possible mulch for strawberries. I'm not sure why but think its because the needles raise the acidity which strawbs love, the ash acts as a counter but provides potash, and the slugs and snails hate both.

The site you have your bonfire on will be a premium space for sighting any fruit bush next spring....they love the potash and phosphorus left in the soil. All the perennial weeds will have been destroyed as well.

Coal Ash

Coal ash should be safe enough but has virtually no nutrients so on its own is of no value. If mixed with wood ash it should make little difference so yes you can use a mix.
Ash is fine stored in a sealed bucket untill needed, you can even use it to store your rootcrops in instead of peat or sand as usually advised.

Ash should be added to compost heap as a layer 1/4" thick maybe but can be liberally spread around plants as previously posted.
I know human hair can be composted....any difference in animal hair? As for contents of vaccum cleaner....I guess it depends on what you have hoovered up!

Mushroom Compost

I would use it as a general compost to improve the soils structure and matter content. One note of caution, some mushroom composts can be high in lime.

Manuring in a 3 bed system

Hi Jennie,

Manuring in a 3 bed system will work as follows:

(using same key as my earlier post!)
Area 1 (Root crops) - Dig over as normal and feed with a general fertiliser such as Bonemeal, or, if you want to be organic, Blood, Fish and Bone.

Area 2 (Brassicas) - Dig over as normal and then apply a general fertiliser as above. Depending on the pH of the soil, you would apply the necessary amount of lime.

Area 3 (Potatoes, Leeks etc.) - Dig as much manure or compost as you can into this bed over the winter or very early spring. Approximately 2 weeks before planting, feed with a general fertiliser. In this bed you will plant the very heavy feeders such Potatoes, Beans, Peas, Celery, Sweet Corn, Marrows, Courgettes, Spinach, Outdoor Tomatoes, Leeks and Cucumbers.

The above plan would be Year 1....for the following years you just rotate the manure with the crop....

eg for Year 2 - Area 1 becomes everything else and so needs manuring, Area 2 becomes roots and needs bonemeal or equivalent and Area 3 becomes brassicas so check for lime.

If you have more manure than is needed by the one area you can use some on any aditional area except root crops.

I hope this clears it up for you....please ask if I can help any further.

[Jaxom]

Slugs and other pests part 1

Slugs and other pests part 1

How to win the slug war, i have tried to incoporate all previos advice into handy guide.....this only covers organic methods.

Your vegetables and plants are slug paradise - wet winters combined with temperate wet summers provide the ideal conditions for slugs. Their natural enemies, weather-wise, are frosty winters and hot summers.

Know Your Slug!
The most common slug is the garden slug ('Arion hortensis' to be precise). It's grey or brown and only 4cm (1.5in) long. It slithers around your garden on an orange sole. Another slug you may may well meet is the field slug ('Derocerus reticulatum'). This one is different from the garden slug because it has distinct brown patches on it's sides. Both are bad news for your tender plants and vegetables.

Another common slug you will meet looks a bit more of a monster - it can be up to 15cm (6in) long and is called the 'black slug' because of it's colour. Many people assume that this is the slug which is doing all the damage. In fact it causes very little damage to your plants - it's the much smaller garden and field slugs which cause all the damage. So the motto with slugs is 'ignore the big black ones'!

There is a less common slug known as the keeled slug (Milax budapestensis). It's about 10cm (4in) long and has a definite ridge down its back. It's not as common as the other slugs, but it does cause considerable damage.

Nematodes: The latest and it seems the most effective way of controlling slugs, this beats the chemical alternatives easily. Nematodes are tiny organisms, so small they are invisible to the eye. They are naturally occurring organisms which are harmless to you, your kids, wildlife and your plants.

The idea is to buy them in plastic packages, put them into a watering can, add water and then water the areas affected by slugs. The little nematodes then enter the slugs and release bacteria which slowly kills the slug. Even better news is that the nematodes then multiply and go in search of more slugs! It does work - farmers have been using them for several years and are increasing their use of them each year.

Barriers: Scatter sharp material around the plants to prevent the slugs getting too near them. Often used are soot, sand, ashes and broken egg-shells. these definitely make it considerably more difficult for slugs to get near the plants by drying up the mucus which slugs rely on to move. All of them will be affected by wind and rain, so frequent re-application is required. They also suffer from the disadvantage that they do not lower the number of slugs in the garden, although it may well encourage them to take up residence in the neighbours garden instead!

The 100% barrier method that works for seedlings is a plastic bottle with the base cut off. Insert it at least 10cm (4in) deep into the soil around the seedling and only the most determined slug will succeed - great as a cloche as well. The problem comes when the seedlings outgrow the bottle. However, slugs really do prefer the tastier younger plants.

Another plastic alternative is a band of flexible plastic placed all around a number of plants - these are available from garden centres. The plastic should be at least 30 cm (1ft) high; 10 cm (4in) below ground and 20cm (8in) above ground. This doesn't stop all slugs, but deters most. The problem here, is that slugs may already be inside the plastic wall, and they won't be able to get out.

Beer and Milk Traps: Quarter fill a jam jars or any plastic container with either milk or beer, and sink them into the ground so that they are about 1 to 2 cm (half to one inch) above the soil level. The slugs can easily climb this, but it will stop ground beetles from entering them and drowning. This method definitely works, although you need at least for jars per square metre (yard), and they will need to be replenished every two or three days.

Hand Collection At Night: Easily the most effective - simply collect the slugs by hand (a long needle on a stick can be used if you don't like touching them) and transfer them to container of salt water. You will need a torch to spot them - expect to kill roughly a hundred per hour. Search on the lawn, paths and around tasty plants.

You may well find that a large number of slugs are on your lawn at night, rather than directly on the soil. This raises the interesting proposition of getting the lawn-mower out at midnight and single handedly massacring thousands of slugs in half an hour. Because of the obvious safety implications of mowing the lawn at night, I have never done this myself. However, a friend of a friend of ours tells us that it works a treat!

Happy hunting!

[Jaxom]

Slugs and other pests part 2

Slugs part 2

Another similar tip along the eggshell line is to use dry holly leaves or copius amounts of pine needles.

If you want to protect a few plants you could make a circle of garden lime around the plant about an inch wide....seems to stop slugs crossing.

Slugs & snails in the greenhouse.....if greenhouse is empty try a sulphur candle, try to seal the gaps to avoid them coming back (not easy!)

Plant some lettuce or similar that you are willing to sacrifice to the slugs in the hope that they leave your prefered plants alone.

If you use trays on staging in the greenhouse put the legs of the staging in a bucket and half fill with water....dont think slugs can swim! Keep staging from touching the glass and you should hopefully create an 'island'.

[Jaxom]

Slugs and other pests part 3

Wireworm

The only suggestion I have is to take a potato, cut the edges off to form a cube without any skin. Push some form of skewer into the potato and then bury it into the soil. Hopefully the wirworms will make a beeline for this, leaving your spuds to grow quite happily. The skewer is so you know where the test potato is and for easy removal of said spud!

Rhubarb spray for stopping leaf-eating insects

It might be worth you while making and trying a rhubarb pest spray. I think this may be to much effort for one plant, but it will store for the future.

Rhubarb leaves, even although they are poisonous, can be used to make an effective organic spray that will kill leaf-eating insects (and hopefully these black flies) in your garden. This spray is harmless to bees and breaks down in the soil quickly (if you want to use outdoors next year!)

To make the rhubarb spray, boil a few pounds of fresh rhubarb leaves in a few pints of water for 20 minutes. Allow the liquid to cool and strain off the liquor into a container.

(Note: be sure to use old utensils as this will stain and poison the pot and the strainer!)

Dissolve some soap flakes (approximately 4 ounces) into the mixture while stirring it vigorously. Pour into a spray bottle and apply to infested plants.

flying pests

Whilst a physical barrier is indeed usefull against things like carrot fly and the like companion planting can go a great way to confuse them.

They seem to use smell as a way of finding the plant they require....you just need to confuse their sense of smell.

Companion planting......now theres a thread for you all!

[Jaxom]

Slugs and other pests part 4

Flying pests and plants that protect

Plant carrots and leeks together if you can manage it. Leeks repel carrot fly and carrots repel onion fly and leek moth. The confusion of scents means the insects stay away.

here are some more that might help

Borage - Near strawberries and tomatoes Attracts bees, which help to improve crop yield by pollinating plants
Chamomile - Near sick plants Acts as a tonic and encourages growth.
Comfrey -Flower borders and vegetable garden. Tap roots bring minerals to the surface of the soil.
Dill and Fennel - Amongst vegetables Attracts hoverflies, which then eat aphids.
Garlic and Chives - Under roses Keeps away aphids and black spot
Nasturtium -Amongst vegetables Attracts aphids away from the vegetables. Also repels ants and whitefly.
Sage - Amongst cabbages Repels cabbage white butterfly
Summer Savoury - Amongst vegetables and roses Deters blackfly
Tagetes (African & French Marigolds) - Amongst tomatoes and vegetables Deters aphids and whitefly through scent and by attracting hoverflies. Roots secrete chemicals which kill ground elder and bindwood. The root also stops eelworm from recognising their host plants, which include potatoes, tulips and roses.
Valerian - Amongst vegetables Stimulates earthworms which helps to boost plant growth.
Wormwood, Hyssop and Rue - Vegetable gardens and flower borders Acts as insect deterrents.

These tips from Eve Morgan

Gooseberry Sawfly

If you want a chemical control you can spray the bushes with a liquid derris.

The organic way is to keep a close eye on the bushes in June. The sawfly will lay its eggs on the underside if the leaf, in the centre and toward the bottom of the bush. Any leaves found with eggs can be simply removed. The caterpillars will munch there way outwards and upwards very quickly so keep a daily on on the bush and remove once you have found. The only other method I have heard of is once the beasties are spotted spray the bush with a strong jet of water, (presumably fom hosepipe), to dislodge them and then squash them.
You may find that if your bushes were hit last year you wil get a poor crop this year.

[Jaxom]

Chitting Potatoes Part 1

Chitting Potatoes Part 1

Unpack and lay the tubers out in a single layer in a tray with the 'rose' end uppermost. This end has the most eyes or buds and sprouts will arise from these. Some suppliers offer 'pre-chitted' seed.

Keep the trays of tubers in a cool but frost-free place with at least moderate light, such as in an unheated room. Direct sunlight is best avoided. Sprouts will form within a few weeks. The tuber is therefore ready to grow away as soon as planted. Tubers can be laid out to chit from January onwards, but planting should be delayed until March in sheltered and southern areas or April in less favoured districts. Earlier plantings can rot in the ground or the shoots can be frosted off on sharp nights. By this time the sprouts should be about 5cm (2in) long and dark coloured. Longer thinner sprouts are caused by excess heat or too little light or both, and tiny sprouts suggest conditions are too cold.
If the weather is unsuitable for planting, tubers can be left to chit further, even into May, without too much loss of crop.

Although unsprouted tubers can be planted, the chitted ones benefit from their flying start. Early cultivars will crop earlier and more heavily if chitted. You can help the process by rubbing off all but the four strongest sprouts so that the tuber's energy is diverted into a few really strong shoots that form new potatoes as early as possible. Second early and maincrop potatoes also benefit from chitting but they don't need thinning of sprouts. Chitting later cultivars results in earlier foliage before blight or drought strike and they mature earlier and can be gathered before slugs damage the tubers.

For those of you that dont or perhaps cant dig in potatoes in the normal way here is my guide for you....

Spread well rotted manure or garden compost on the ground at the rate of a barrowload of manure, or two of compost, per 10 sq m (11sq yd). If you have neither manure nor compost, use a proprietary brand of bagged manure or an organic fertiliser instead.

Place seed potatoes on the soil surface at the usual spacing - in rows 20cm x 75cm (8in x 30in) for earlies, and a little further apart for main crop. If you're growing in a bed system space evenly at 30cm (12in) apart for earlies and 35cm (14in) for maincrop. Cover each row with a few inches of hay or old straw. Mark the rows or leave a bare path between them so that you don't tread on the tubers before they come through.

As the potatoes start to emerge, some of them will push the mulch up instead of growing through it - give them a helping hand! Continue to top up the mulch as the shoots grow. Cover the whole area, including the paths.

When the mulch is about 15cm(6in) thick and the plants are growing strongly, cover the mulch with a thick layer of grass mowings. This excludes light - stopping the potatoes from turning green - and helps to hold the mulch down. You can top this up as needed, provided you allow the first layer of mowings to dry off before applying a second.

Slugs are no more of a problem with this method than any other. Blackbirds can be a bit of a nuisance as they pull the mulch about.

Slugs and Spuds plus long Chits on your tatties.

I would try a slug resistant variety in your case, Charlotte,Kestrel, Nicola, Osprey or Wilja are all supposed to have some resistance.

Berr, the length of the shoot is determined by the temperature the potato chits at. The cooler the temp the slower the rate of chitting and visa versa. It is not uncommon to have a shoot of 2 inches when planting out your potatos. As for the growing medium, I would aim for a 50/50 split between manure and soil. If using all manure whilst it should work it may be prone to drying out and tends to bind in layers. I know that I have had the odd 'stray' potato grow in the compost heap which has always produced a reasonable crop.....maybe it would be worth trialling one or two just as a comparison and then you would know for next year.

For the raised beds, manure would not provide the necessary mix of nutrients needed for the various veg I imagine you want to grow, so I would have 3 layers - soil at the botom, then manure then a top layer of soil.

[Jaxom]

Pot or mammoth blanch leeks Part 1

How to grow mammoth leeks

The subject of growing successful pot or even mammoth blanch leeks is a highly secret and covert process. Sums of money will often be charged by seed catalogues to learn the myths and practices of said subject. Please do not reveal the following in case my membership to the magic pot leek circle is cancelled!
I apologise in advance as this will be a mammoth ( ) article in itself and some bits will slip into technical land but am sure you will keep up. You do not have to follow this as gospel to achieve good results….just use it as a guide to the time you have available.

Firstly I do not grow my pot leeks for show, primarily it’s for pride….if I think they are good enough I may enter them at a show but that is secondary.
Just to clear up some terms, there are three kinds of leek in this field; Pot leeks having a blanched area no longer than 15cm (6in) – with the largest possible circumference, Blanch leeks which comprise Intermediate leeks having a blanched length of between 15 and 35cm (6 – 14in) and Long leeks having a blanched length from 23cm (9in) upwards, sometimes exceeding 60cm (24in).

All leeks can be raised vegetatively by propagating pods (sometimes known as bulbils or pips). Alternatively, they can be grown from plants or seeds. These items are not always easy to obtain, if exhibition quality results are required. They may be purchased from nurseries and there are specialist growers who advertise in the gardening journals, yellow free ad paper etc. Best plants start by using best seed…..you may not want to exhibit your results but you may want the results to be of exhibition quality. In the North East it is common to see plants offered in Feb for about £1 each.

Starting from pods:
I will start here because this is my method.
The advantage of raising from pods is that the offspring will have the same characteristics as the parent and, if this were a prize-winner, the pods would be potential prize-winners also. Pods are the delicate swellings which form on the head of the plant after flowering. Pot leek pods resemble very small dried tulip bulbs, but some varieties produce pods, each with a single live leaf, which looks like a blade of grass. These are known as ‘grass’ leeks.
The pods of Blanch leeks resemble miniature plants. Separate the pods from the head, being careful not to damage them, and examine each one for signs of disease. Any that show a reddish/brown mark at the base must be discarded. They may grow and appear healthy but when the leeks start to mature the flags (leaves) begin to decay and sometimes the whole plant collapses.
Start Blanch leeks off in December and Pot leeks in January in a temperature of about 12-15°C (55-60°F) in a greenhouse, on a warm windowsill or in a heated propagator.
A proprietary, peat-based compost or loam based John Innes No. 1 may be used. Plant individually into 7cm (3in) pots. Blanch leek pods should be planted leaving half their length above the surface, but Pot leek pods should be pushed gently into the surface of the damp compost and not buried, whilst ‘grass’ leeks should be planted about 6mm (1/4 in) deep. Blanch and ‘grass’ leeks will benefit from a twice weekly foliar feed with half strength plant foodsolution, i.e. half a level teaspoonful in 9 litres (2 gals) of water, as this will help to keep them fresh and encourage root development.
Always avoid foliar feeding in direct sunlight as a liquid of any kind on the foliage can cause scorch. Keep the compost moist with water at all times.

Starting from seed:
Sow in January using the same compost recommended above. Use a large tray so that the seeds can be well spaced. Avoid over watering. It is worthwhile using a seed dressing, if available, to ensure good germination. Keep at a temperature of about 12-
15°C (55-60°F) in a greenhouse, on a warn windowsill or in a heated propagator, until the seedlings are large enough to handle, then transfer then singularly into 7cm (3in) pots treating them as for Pods.
As a comparison my strain of pot leek will stand for 13 months without bolting to seed, so they get planted in the Autumn…..you wont find that recommended in a seed catalogue!

Greenhouse culture:
Keep the temperature at about 12°C (55-60°F). After about three weeks, examine the root formations and those that show abundance should be moved into 15cm (6in) pots. If John Innes compost is used, then this should be No.3. Feeding is very important from about two to three weeks after potting. Root feed with full strength plant food i.e. a level teaspoonful in 9 litres (2 gals) of water every ten days and foliar feed with half strength solution at least one a week.
Many Pot leeks need to be ‘drawn’ to their required length of blanch and ‘collars’ are slipped over the plants from February onwards to force their growth upwards. The collars, plastic or cardboard tubes about 10cm (4in) long, should not be tight but should exclude as much light as possible. Some varieties need little encouragement to grow to the required length and ‘earthing up’ when they are transferred into the garden will blanch them sufficiently. When buying Pot leek plants, always ask if they need ‘drawing’ or not. By the end of March, the plants are transferred into 22cm (9in) pots.
Pot leeks remain in the warmth of the greenhouse, whilst Blanch leeks are transferred to cold frames to be planted out in April.

Soil preparation:
Blanch leeks are planted out in open ground in mid to late April. Pot leeks are removed from the greenhouse to the open ground at the end of May in the South, the first week in June for me. From now on they are at the mercy of the weather until Show time, usually September. The soil should be well prepared. If it is well drained, friable and not too stony it may only be necessary to add well-rotted farmyard manure, garden compost or, failing that, spent mushroom compost. A full barrow load per square metre (about 1 sq yd) is essential for exhibition plants. Where the soil is poor because of clay, stones or poor drainage, a prepared bed, called a ‘trench’ is required.

Preparation of a trench:
A trench 5 metres x 1 metre (about 16ft x 4ft) will accommodate 22 leeks. It should be mounded up to 45cm (18 in) above the normal soil level. The sides will need supporting with corrugated steel, breezeblocks or bricks. Timber is not recommended as it harbours pests and diseases. The trench should be prepared to an overall depth of
1 metre (about 3ft) as follows: The bottom 15cm (6in) should be weathered ashes, or a similar aggregate, covered with a 15cm (6in) layer of straw, from broken up bales, to prevent the ashes becoming clogged with soil making drainage ineffective. A 45cm
(18in) layer of farmyard manure or garden compost is then added and the trench brought to its full height with good, friable soil. Each year, more manure or compost is added, but the bottom of the trench is never disturbed. Good initial preparation is, therefore essential.

Planting outdoors:
Pot leeks should have 7 to 10 days hardening off in a cold frame before planting out. About a week before planting, rake 50g plant food powder per sq metre (per 1 sq yd) into the surface of the soil. Pot leeks are planted with soil up to their lowest flag whilst Blanch leeks are planted so that their bases are about 10cm (4in) below the surface. Make a suitable hole for each plant and sprinkle in a little plant foodpowder to encourage the roots to penetrate the soil. From now on the soil is never allowed to dry out. Root and foliar feed once a week with full strength plant foodfrom the end of June onwards. Regular feeds are essential for actively growing leeks; the high potash content of plant foodkeeps the plants robust.

Lengthening blanch leeks:
When the plants show about 20cm (8in) above the surface, place a cardboard tube about 10cm (about 4in) long and 25mm (1in) in diameter over each one. This is replaced with a standard land drain tile 30cm x 9cm (12in x 31/2in) when the plants reach 45cm (about 18 in) in length. By improvising with tubes of various sizes, the length of the leek can be slowly increased. Never cover the uppermost third of the plant; this only weakens the growth.

If when September comes you want to show your leeks to the world, or the village show at least here is my only tip - Lift the selected leeks the evening before the Show and wash them down with a hosepipe from the roots to the flags. Stand the plants in a bucket containing sufficient full strength plant foodsolution to cover the roots and you will find they are a little larger the following day!

BE WARNED: This type of vegetable growing can take over your life….you may not be the same person again!!

I think I deserve a nice cold beer now.

[Jaxom]

Chitting Potatoes Part 2

Promote earlier crop emergence.

Chit the earlies when you get them....dont worry if you knock off the 'sprouts' in transit or whatever, as your seed potato will still grow and produce a crop.
For the mains ...... there is a sort of mathematical formula - I will try and make this as easy as I can to follow!

What you need to do is alter the physiological age of the spud or chitting seed potatoes by controlled sprouting to provide an opportunity to promote earlier crop emergence, tuber initiation and bulking. Encouraging early emergence with the aim of producing good canopy cover by mid June will extend the growing season, in the early part of the year when light quality and intensity are high. This increases the potential for light entering the leaves to be converted into plant dry matter and partitioned into tubers. (Hope you are still with me!)

Physiological age measures the ‘ageing’, of seed during chitting and is determined by the cumulative number of day degrees above 4°C following dormancy break. Physiological aging begins when the sprout has grown greater than 3 mm in the eye.

The aim in chitting late maincrop varieties eg 'Navan' would be to accumulate 250-300 day degrees prior to planting. Working back from a target planting date of, for example, 20 April and allowing seven days for dormancy to break, seed set up on 1 March assuming an average daily temperature of 10° C, would accumulate 264 day degrees, that is, 44 days(March 1 to April 20 less 7 days for dormancy to break) x (10 °C – 4 °C) therefore
44days x 6 degrees = 264 day degrees

On the other hand do not chit any of your potatoes....they will crop fine just a little later than chitted ones.

As to where to chit them I would go for on top of the wardrobe.....temp needs to be min 3 degrees (rules out hut)....need some degree of light.....rules out garage. Cool spare bedroom near window is ideal.

I store my potatoes in hessian sacks, (beter than paper ones), in the garage.

Beginers guide to spuds

This is not quite as simple a question to answer as it may seem but here goes:

Potatoes generally fall into 4 groups, FIRST EARLY, plant late March & harvest mide June to July; SECOND EARLY, plant early April & harvest July - August; Early Maincrop, plant mid April & harvest late August - October; LATE MAINCROP, plant mid April and harvest late August - October.

eg (popular) First Early potaoes: Rocket, Swift, Maris Baird, Arran Pilot, Foremost etc. should be planted late March. The haulms (leaves) will need protection from frost. They will be ready about 10 weeks from planting. You know your area better than me so can guage this. If growing in pots you can start them off under cover in greenhouse or similar if needed.

Maybe the best place to start in choosing a potatoe is why you want to grow them? Do you prefer roast, mash, chips, boiled, salad or just a general all purpose one! Looloo rightly pointed you to Edwin Tuckers site as this list a lot of varieties by 'usage'. Most people may then select a variety if they need it to be pest or disease resistant eg to combat blight or slugs or eelworm etc.

So you may decide you want an early potatoe, white in colour, to enjoy as a salad potato which has good eelworm resistance......choose Rocket.

I have had fresh potatoes from late May untill Christmas.....with stored potatoes making up the gap Jan - May.

If this is your first year and you have nobody to ask about problems, eg is blight a factor, I would grow, first earlies & late maincrop. If you have more room grow second earlies or salad types. If you want the fullhouse then go for early maincrop.

Hope this helps, I assume you are ok with chitting or not as the case my be etc. Anybody any other questions please ask!

[Jaxom]

Tomatoes part 1

Geordie's how to grow tomatoes

This is my (hopefully!) beginners guide to growing tomatoes.....aimed at growing outside rather than in greenhouse.
There are many, many varieties of tomato and recommendation is of no real use. Plant characteristics are an important factor to consider in selecting tomatoes. Some vines are relatively compact and less sprawling compared to large-vined types that must be grown using pruning and staking, tying, or “cage” culture.

Some gardeners prefer to buy transplants from local greenhouses, nurseries, garden centers or other suppliers. Tomatoes may be purchased in flats, market packs or individual pots. Individually potted plants are generally more expensive, but because roots do not have to be disturbed, plants suffer less “shock” when transplanted into the garden.

Choose plants that are dark green, short and compact, with sturdy stems about the size of a pencil. There should be a balance between plant and container, so avoid large plants growing in small containers.
Tomatoes can be seeded directly into the garden. Canning or plum types are best adapted for this. Seed thickly, and thin to about one plant per foot later in the season.

All types of tomatoes can be started indoors if you want to experiment rather than buying transplants. Use clay, plastic or peat pots, milk cartons, paper or plastic coffee cups, or similar containers, making sure they have drain holes in the bottom. It is best to use potting soil from a greenhouse or garden centre because it is free of weed seeds and harmful disease organisms. Plant several seeds into soil that has been well-firmed in the pots. Thin later, leaving one seedling per container.
Optimum growing temperature for tomatoes is 70 to 75 F with night temperatures of 60 to 65°F. Because those growing in shade or low-light conditions are spindly, give plants as much light as possible. You can start seedlings in artificial light, but they should be transferred to full sun before they are an inch or two tall. A week or so before they are ready to be set in the garden, decrease watering to toughen or “harden” the plants. This makes transplanting shock less severe.
(If you have a history of blossom end rot add crushed egg shells to your compost .....ask me!)
To grow tomatoes successfully, plant them where they will get full sun for a half day or more. Those growing in shade will be spindly and unproductive. Tomatoes are sensitive to frost and do not thrive in cold garden soils. In southern UK, tomatoes can be transplanted in early to mid-April, but for most of us, late April to early May is suggested. In extreme north, plant in mid-May. If there is a danger of frost be sure to cover them with a temporary protective cover.
Tomatoes will grow in many different soil types but prefer a deep, loamy soil with a pH of 6.2 or 6.8. (This is not critical to know) If topsoil is shallow, you can improve the growing area by digging a hole 12 to 18 inches deep, mixing in peat moss or compost, and then refilling the hole. If this is not done, till the soil thoroughly with a spade.

A general fertilizer is sufficient to add to the area. Avoid using fertilizers with too much nitrogen because excessive nitrogen fertilization can cause spindly plants and few fruits. Fertilizers with ratios of 5-10-10, 6-12-12, 5-10-5, or with about half as much nitrogen as phosphate are most desirable. (The ratio is listed on the side of the packet or bottle and refers to the amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium). Spacing depends on plant size and whether or not plants will be staked. Small-vined types can be spaced 15 to 18 inches apart and staked vines 18 to 24 inches. Unstaked plants should have 30 inches of space between them. If planting several rows, place them about 4 feet apart. Set tomato plants in the ground slightly deeper than they were growing in the flat or pot. To prevent plants from breaking off in spring winds, cover tall, spindly plants to the first leaf so most of the stem is below the soil surface. When using peat containers that do not have to be removed, tear off the top edge of the pot or make sure the pot is well below the soil surface. The edge of a peat pot when exposed to air acts like a wick and draws water from the soil around the plant. After planting, water well with a starter fertilizer solution. You can purchase water-soluble starter fertilizers at your local garden centre or mix 3 to 4 tablespoons of ordinary garden fertilizer in a gallon of water. Use about 1 cup of water starter around each plant. Protect plants for a few days by shielding them with boards, shingles or covers that let light penetrate, such as plastic containers or glass.

In small garden areas, tomatoes can be staked to conserve space. This usually produces earlier tomatoes because vines are pruned to promote fruit growth. In extremely hot weather, however, staked plants lack adequate foliage to prevent sun burning fruit.
Choose stakes 6 to 7 feet tall and drive them about 2 feet into the ground, 3 to 4 inches from the plant. Tie the plant to the stake with twine, cloth or soft plastic strips
about every 12 inches up the stake, tying first tightly around the stake, and then loosely. Tie again loosely around the plant so the stem will have room to expand. As plants develop, it is a common practice to prune suckers” or shoots that develop in the angle between the stem and branches. Remove suckers every few days as they form and before they are more than 1 to 2 inches long. When they are small, suckers can be easily pinched from the plant allowing one stem to grow up the stake.
Some gardeners allow the lowest sucker on the plant to develop, forming two main stems.
One cultural method sometimes seen is to use a “cage” or trellis for each plant. This keeps tomatoes and foliage off the ground and conserves garden space while allowing plenty of foliage protection during the hot summer months.
To construct a tomato cage, use concrete reinforcing wire or similar material with spaces large enough so fruits can be removed. A cylinder about 18 to 20 inches in diameter is ideal and can be formed out of a 5-foot length of wire. Cut off the lowest horizontal wire and stick the vertical wires into the ground (Figure 1). A stake will keep the cylinder from blowing over.
Place the cylinder or “cage” over a single transplant and allow the plant to grow normally, without removing suckers. You don’t have to tie the plant to the “cage,” but you may have to push stems back in if they grow out of the holes. Using this method, you should have ripe tomatoes until frost. Do not prune compact-type plants. You also see them made from willow which looks very attractive.

Mulch benefits growing tomatoes by holding in soil moisture, reducing soil compaction and helping to control weeds. Plastic mulches used early in the season, before planting, warm the soil and encourage early growth.
Apply straw, compost, leaves and grass clippings in mid-June at the base of each plant. A fresh seaweed mulch is the tomato equivalent of viagra!
Tomatoes require about 1 inch of water per week. This can be supplied with sprinklers, soaker hoses or furrow irrigation if not by natural rainfall.
Control weeds while they are small by hoeing. Use shallow scraping and avoid deep cultivation. A garden mulch will smother small weeds; reduce soil moisture losses, and decrease fruit rotting and foliage diseases.
Mulch with 2 to 3 inches of compost, peat moss, leaves or grass clippings, or 4 inches of coarser mulch such as wheat straw or old prairie hay.
Tomatoes planted in sandy areas may benefit from monthly side-dressings of fertilizer containing about twice as much phosphate as nitrogen. Use 2 to 3 pounds per 100 square feet of garden area and water well. In extreme summer heat, blossom drop may be common.

At temperatures above 90°F and with low humidity, poor pollination causes blossom drop and poor fruit set. Blossom-set type hormone sprays have not been effective in reducing blossom drop under these conditions.

Tomato fruits do not turn red when temperatures are above 95°F. In extreme summer heat, fruits allowed to ripen on the vine may be yellowish-orange. For optimum colour development, it is advisable to pick tomatoes in the pink stage and allow them to ripen indoors. About 70°F is ideal, and light is not necessary. After tomatoes have ripened, they may be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks until needed.
Just before frost, remove green tomatoes from the vines, detach stems, and wipe with a soft cloth. Wrap each tomato in newspaper or waxed paper. Store in a cool, dark place at 55 to 60°F, checking frequently to remove decaying or damaged fruit. As the fruits begin to turn, remove them and continue ripening at 70°F. Using this technique you may just have ripe tomatoes until Christmas.
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[Jaxom]

Tomatoes part 2

New way of growing Tomatoes

This is for all the people looking for a 'new' way to grow toms. If nothing else it will provide a talking point.

We've been growing our tomatoes upside-down for the past three years and really have fun growing them this way! We also grow tomatoes in the ground, and, by comparison, the ones in the upside-down buckets seem to have a little better yield than the same varieties grown in the ground. I attribute it to the fact that the branches have less stress while growing, and have better air circulation. Of course, you have to grow smaller varieties or ones that are suited for container growing, or the yields will be less.
You can grow tomatoes in any large container that has a sturdy hanging system, but we've found the safest is to use five-gallon paint buckets that have a handle. Planting them in the buckets is much easier and safer for the plants when you have one or two other people helping you.

Start out by drilling a hole in the bottom of the bucket. Usually, there is already a circular indentation, which is approx. 2 ½" in diameter. If there isn't, drill the hole between 2 and 3 inches in diameter.
Set the bucket, right side up, on a structure such as two wooden horses, so that the bottom hole is exposed. Put whatever material you choose to use to secure the seedling, in the bottom, then take the seedling and gently thread the leaves and stems down through the hole so that it hangs out of the bottom of the bucket. Hold the plant up till no more than 2 inches of the stem is protruding out from the bottom.
While holding the plant in one hand, pack the material around the stem so that the plant is anchored and will not slip through the hole. There are several things that can be used to keep the seedling from 'slipping out' of the hole untill the root system has developed and it can hold it's own. You can use sphagnum moss, newspaper, coffee filters, etc.
Keep holding the plant in place, and add the soil into the bucket, making sure it's distributed evenly up to the root ball. Gently let go of the plant, letting it rest on the dirt, and add soil till the root ball is about 2 inches below the soil line. Add about 2 cups of compost, then fill the bucket with soil up to about an inch from the top.
Carry the bucket to the structure you are going to hang it from, being very careful to keep the tomato plant from hitting the ground as you walk. Hang the bucket by the handle, then water thoroughly. Water should start running out of the bottom hole within a few minutes.

Check the soil level of each bucket to be sure the soil didn't settle to more than 2 inches from the top, adding more if it has. Water and add fertilizer, when needed, directly in the top of the bucket. You can also grow "living mulch" like parsley or other herbs, in the top portion of the dirt, but be sure you water the bucket sufficiently so that the water gets to the tomato plant's' roots. Some herbs, such as oregano or marjoram, become too thick to allow the water to penetrate quick enough into the soil.
Keeping a lid set on, but not tightly sealed, the tops of the buckets will help prevent moisture loss, but can be a problem since they have to be moved every time you water. Depending on what type of watering system you come up with, will depend on whether or not the lids are used. We've always set the lids on top of the structure, above the buckets (approx. a foot above the rim), and watered the buckets with a hose. The lids don't help much with the moisture retention, but it does help deflect rain in the extremely rainy season.
How much to water the buckets will depend on your climate.

One interesting thing that will happen when you grow your tomato plants this way is that they will grow upwards towards the sun until the plants get bigger and bushier and start producing fruit. You have to check them daily to be sure that the stem is growing out from under the bottom, not into it.
Every few weeks, check the soil level to be sure there has not been too much loss. Add soil or compost each time the level lowers.

Have fun!!

[Jaxom]

What is soil pH? Part 1

Understanding pH and your soil. (posted in relation to a question about liming soil)

Curiously sphagnum moss has a ph of 3.5 but i digress...a little guide of soil ph for you:

What is soil pH?

Soil pH is the measure of the acidity (sourness) or alkalinity (sweetness) of a soil. A simple numerical scale is used to express pH. The scale goes from 0.0 To 14.0, with 0.0 being most acid, and 14.0 being most alkaline. The value, 7.0 is neutral--i.e., neither acid or alkaline.

Why is pH important?
Soil pH is important because it influences several soil factors affecting plant growth, such as soil bacteria, nutrient leaching, nutrient availability, toxic elements, and soil structure. Bacterial activity that releases nitrogen from organic matter and certain fertilizers is particularly affected by soil pH, because bacteria operate best in the pH range of 5.5 to 7.0. Plant nutrients leach out of soils with a pH below 5.0 much more rapidly than from soils with values between 5.0 and 7.5. Plant nutrients are generally most available to plants in the pH range 5.5 to 6.5. Aluminum may become toxic to plant growth in certain soils with a pH below 5.0. The structure of the soil, especially of clay, is affected by pH. In the optimum pH range (5.5 to 7.0) clay soils are granular and are easily worked, whereas if the soil pH is either extremely acid or extremely alkaline, clays tend to become sticky and hard to cultivate.
A pH determination (soil test) will tell whether your soil will produce good plant growth or whether it will need to be treated to adjust the pH level. For most plants, the optimum pH range is from 5.5 to 7.0, but some plants will grow in more acid soil or may require a more alkaline level.
The pH is not an indication of fertility, but it does affect the availability of fertilizer nutrients. A soil may contain adequate nutrients yet growth may be limited by a very unfavorable pH. Likewise, builder's sand, which is virtually devoid of nutrients, may have an optimum pH for plant growth.

How to correct pH
Normally, lime or dolomite is used to increase the pH, or "sweeten" the soil. Lime contains mainly calcium carbonate and dolomite contains both calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. Ground limestone and dolomite are less likely to "burn" plant roots than hydrated lime and are therefore recommended for home use. The amount of these materials necessary to change the pH will depend on the soil. The greater the amount of organic matter or clay in a soil, the more lime or dolomite required to change the pH.

If a soil is tested as too alkaline, determine if this is due to recent application of lime or whether it is due to an inherent characteristic of the soil. It is quite difficult, if not impossible, to change appreciably the pH of naturally alkaline soil by use of acid-forming materials. If a high pH is due to applied lime or other alkaline additives, ammonium sulfate, sulfur, or similar acid-forming materials can be applied. Table 2 shows the amounts of sulfur needed to lower the pH.
Not more than 1 pound of sulfur per 100 square feet should be used in one application. Repeat applications of sulfur should not be made more often than once every 8 weeks. Sulfur oxidizes in the soil and mixes with water to form a strong acid that can burn the roots of plants and should be used with caution.