Liming

[ChristineHParticipant]

We’ve had our allotment 10years + now and have been growing no dig since I attended one of Charles’ courses several years ago. We can’t get municipal compost but have a reliable source of well rotted horse manure. The soil on our allotment was in a pretty poor state when we got it, masses of weeds, couch grass and not a worm in site! Now it’s rich crumbly soil full of worms and we are able to grow wonderful crops on it all year round. To date I haven’t tested the ph of the soil and have never used lime. We do compost and this too gets placed on our beds when ready but as we have a 10 rod plot home made compost isn’t enough alone. Although my crops are healthy enough at present will horse manure alone eventually make the soil acidic and should I now be thinking of testing and liming as necessary?

[CleansweepParticipant]

I think you’ve answered your own question really, 10 years with bountiful crops, so why worry?
I learnt on Greensand, azahlia ground ,and lime was biennially added to the vegetable area.Personally I dont lime generally my London Clay, just feed it. However, in attempting to avoid club root, lime is watered in as I plant out brassicas, there being no other treatment.
In recent years, having ‘inherited’ 50kg of calcified seaweed from an elderly friend-( she couldn’t take it with her!!), I use this instead , expecting that the other minerals present may be useful.
Cleansweep

[BenFParticipant]

What are your thoughts on club root and no dig?

I converted my plot to no dig last year using mushroom, green waste and horse manure.

I had some club root and used to put lime or calcified seaweed on my brassica beds.

First year without doing this. Would you still add some lime or seaweed to a no dig bed?

[Author]

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