liming and manuring

[Test OrderKeymaster]

Had my allotment for a year now. Just cleared some raised beds of crops. They need liming but also need some well rotted manure that I have. Should I manure first which will prevent weeds germinating, and lime at a later date?
Thanks
Ivor

[charlesModerator]

 Are you sure lime is needed, have you checked pH? I think it is often used when not needed and have never noticed, for example, that using manure and compost "makes ground more acidic", as is often claimed.
However if you soil pH is below 6 ( a rare occurrence!), I would lime then spread manure

[ipt8Member]

Yes we measured the ph taking samples across the plot and it is 5.5.

We live in Surrey and the soils are green sands. The allotment I would describe as a clay loam. It does vary a bit across the site as parts had been worked, other areas were wild raspberries and a dead sloe bush which we winched out.

[clive fMember]

Charles all the gardening books tell us never to lime and add manure at the same time as this can cause a chemical reaction and it is best to leave 3 months between liming and manuring, whats your thoughts on this ?

[charlesModerator]

 Clive, thanks for raising this, please see my reply to your ‘Manure question’. 

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