Preparing the brassica bed

[cabbagepatchkid]

Hi everyone,

The brassica bed had manure (not completely rotted but at least 50% there) spread over the top of it last autumn. It looks pretty well disintegrated at the moment bar a few wood shavings. Do I need to dig it in first and let it settle before liming, or can I just lime over the top of it and fork the whole lot in? And then firm the soil down afterwards.

[burnie]

Do you need to lime, have you tested the soil? you would need to dig the manure in first, old rule was don't put the two together(I have never limed a veg patch)

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Hi CPK

Yes I would defoe turn it in, espeicially with you saying it it not totally rotted, because if you leave it as a top layer it is pretty acidic and can burn your young seedlings stems otherwise.

I normally run my bed over with a "Mantis" tiller a few weeks prior to planting out, as it only incorporates the matter you want it to at the planting depth your brassicas desire, no need for heavy excavation here as these little babies need firming in well, and I mean well!

With regard to liming? I have never limed a brassica bed ever, although all the written and read proof says you should do so!

I just do a quick soil test with a cheap kit picked up from, well virtually anyway these days, and if it runs at around 6.5 to 7.0 ph being neutral, and I still keep telling myself I am being too scientific, I just bang em in firm extra, extra well and let em get on with it!

Never had a problem yet, and do seriously get good results!

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Opp's Burnie beat me to it!

[cabbagepatchkid]

pH is 6.5, so although slightly acid you think it should be ok without lime? Reason for the original question is that with the blimmin rain coinciding with my days off for ages, I'm running out of time to dig stuff into this bed and was hoping the manure has rotted down enough by now for the acidity not to be an issue so I only have to dig/fork over once! Can you tell I'm a total newb who's probably overthinking the whole thing!

How do no-dig people do it (since that's the way I ultimately want to go)? Lime the hole before popping each plant in or don't bother with lime at all unless pH is very low?

[Greenleaves]

6.5 to 6.8 is perfect for brassicas...I wouldn't add any.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

6.5 to 6.8 is perfect for brassicas...I wouldn't add any.

Nor would I either!

[cabbagepatchkid]

Thanks very much everyone