Lime and manure timings,

[lottie dolly]

I get confudled as to what is what,and google is no help,i have been advised to lime the legumes patch to over winter,so come 2014 it will be ready for the brassias,thats fine,BUT what area is the best to but the manure on,the brassica,legumes after the lime,the othe area is for spuds and roots,so NONO,i have lots of well rotted manure,and plan on spreading for the worms to work on it over winter,a bit of clarity and advice for my head would be wonderful please ,am sooo trying to get some things in place for next season,

[rustylady]

Don't get too hung up on it. Relax and enjoy. I would spread your manure on your empty beds, specially the potato one.

What is your soil like at the moment? You may not need lime for brassicas.

[solway cropper]

Agree with the above. Don't add lime without first checking to see if your soil needs it as it can actually do more harm than good. A lot of heavy, clay-derived soils like mine are alkaline anyway but after six years of applying compost/manure it's now near neutral. For my brassicas I add pelleted chicken manure which is slightly alkaline and high in nitrogen....just what cabbage and caulies love.

[lottie dolly]

thanks RL,most of it is clay,a nighmare this year with all the wet,but most of it managable other years,the plots have done a 4 year round ,plus 1 this year,but are now going from a 4 to a 3 year,system,am trying to simplify for ease,also going from rotavator to digging,for obviouse reasons,hard work now,but should pay of in comming years,hence my carrot and strawberry beds for each area of rotation,am just hoping it works out as i plan,

[zazen999]

Who advised you and why did they do this? Have you had a pH test done?

[rustylady]

also going from rotavator to digging,

Have you thought about a no-dig system?

[northepaul]

I have clay soil which is neutral to acidic at the lottie, so I added lime to grow brassicas, but I did it just before planting.....they seem ok.
How about investing acouple of quid in a ph tester - then you can be sure?
(I got one as I wanted to put in a blueberry bed, and thankfully I didnt need to do too much, its very useful to know though )
Manure where the spuds are going next year

[lottie dolly]

Who advised you and why did they do this? Have you had a pH test done?

It was another plot holder,he always has good greens,thats apart from this years slugfest,says he flollowes ,cannot remember the name,lawrence?and no to a test,me thinks i better get 1,

no dig system mmm,at the moment i not understant about it,my 2 lotties are large,plus i do not want to go down the all raised bed route,every year we have a constant battle with horse tail and thistle,i am sooo ashamed of my plots this year,evry year since i first got 1,i have grown stuff fine,plus had some recognision every year bar this,to bad with weeds to do anything,2 years on the trot i got 2nd best plot out of 300 +,Perhaps am just a silly mixed up old f@@t,
What rotation would benefit most from the manure,am just going to see if it any better for the use of,if not,it's back to how things were,by the way,i got some real nice home made compost,all baged up for use next year,lots of weeds apear,for a shot time,then tis ok,