Liming soil before spuds..

[northepaul]

Hi all
I need to add some lime to my soil before planting my spuds up - I have managed to bring the acidity level down , and its now just on the border between the two.
How long in advance should I do this before planting? Its just that I still have some cabbages in, which seem to be having a growth spurt with all the good weather, and I didnt want to get them out yet.
I was planning on following the tradition of planting spuds around good Friday.

Thanks for your help all

[Capsid]

You don't lime for spuds. Spuds prefer acidic soil to reduce scab.

[zazen999]

Seconded....

[FionaH]

Its just that I still have some cabbages in, which seem to be having a growth spurt with all the good weather,

What good weather, tis freezin here!

[PAULW]

NO NO thrice NO

[Alison]

Some people lime before brassicas but never before spuds . Good isn't it, you've just been saved a job.

[Nicos]

you've just been saved a job.

..and your spuds!!!!

[northepaul]

::faints:: wow, I was told I needed to lime before putting them in
Thank goodness I asked you all
And thank you for saving my spuds!!

[northepaul]

What good weather, tis freezin here!

So there is some advantage to living right down here then
Sunshine every day this last week, although cold, they seem to be growing well at the mo.
Freezing at night though Fiona!

[Nicos]

And thank you for saving my spuds!!

No problem...8th Aug...chez toi..gratin dauphinoise eh???


( I jest!!!)

[Two_Sheds]

I was told I needed to lime before putting them in

Who told you that then ?

[Pies]

Who told you that then ?

Some poor person who is going to have scabby spuds

[Snadger]

Being one to try and debunk certain fallacies I wouldn't mind doing a bit of a trial with growing the same tattie variety in acid AND alkaline soil.

We all know that lime causes scab........and we all know that scab is usually peeled off in maincrops anyway.........so.............whats to say that tatties prefer growing in acid soils if we take common scab out of the equation?
Apparently?????.....Magnesium limestone makes the soil more alkaline but doesn't cause scab? Just as an experiment I may add some to a few pot grown spuds soil as a test. I'll add quite a bit to make the soil very alkaline and see what happens.

Please don't follow my lead..............its only I'm a bit of a doubting Thomas and like to ascertain things for myself!

(This all stems from an allotment rumour on our site that in the past someone was growing huge potatoes in practically pure limestone!)

[snohare]

The soil in my current garden is extremely alkaline - between 6.5 and 7.0 I think - and I grew a wonderful crop of RDOY, Santes, Charlottes, PFAs and Kestrels last year. I didn't manure or anything, I just stuck them in and left them, earthed up and watered occasionally. No scab, but bacterial infection in the Santes from the cold damp spring weather.
There were some absolute beauties, particularly the RDOYs. If I get the same sort of crop again this year I will be well chuffed. (This time I will keep it better protected from frost and mice in storage ! )
I don't think the acidity is because the soil has been limed, it had been years since anyone touched it, it is just on a natural limestone outcrop.

[Two_Sheds]

I have alkaline soil, and all my spuds get scab - except the ones I grew in home-made garden compost, or in MPC: they were lovely.