Lime and brassicas

bekkie hughes

In my haste to get the veggies in, my common sense went out of the window! I have soil which is on the acidic side and suspect clubroot may be present too, however i have merrily planted lots of brassicas without liming, of course some of them now dont look that happy. Im sure they will soldier on but i would like them to do better if poss. Can i apply lime as a top dressing? Is there anything else i can do?

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bekkie hughes

Thanks Chrissie, hasnt thought of that

Lily 3

Hi Bekkie I put mine in without liming too. Although it was because I couldn't find it anywhere ( I'm in France, and 1st year growing here ) I did a basic soil test, by putting some soil in white viniger. I believe it's supposed to produce bubbles / fizz if its alkaline. Which it didn't and the soil is silty clay, so likely to be a little on the acidic side. I think I read liming after planting can scorch plants, but if your careful might be worth a go. I've stop worrying about the lime as chaffer grubs have had nearly half my brassicas. So just hoping there will be something left for us to eat at all.



I would be very interested to know what anyone else thinks about our predicament. Hopefully we will get away with it this year. Best of luck

Lily 3

Ooh seaweed fertiliser, that's interesting didn't know that. Might give that a go. Thanks Chissie

bekkie hughes

Actually, Lily, you might be on to something with chafer grup, this bed was a lawn until a couple of months ago

Lily 3

Our veg plot was so over grown last year and as I dug over the beds I came across loads of them - which the chickens loved ! But after weeding didn't dig over the beds for brassicas as they like firm soil. But foolishly didn't think about the chaffers ! So I'm now leaving alot of weeds in there to give them something else to eat - hopefully ! But not sure how to break the cycle ? Anyone any ideas ? Spose just a case of lots of digging in the future !

Welshonion

That's what rotation is all about.  The brassicas will be in a different area next year.  One you dug over this year.  

Steve 309

Maybe if you could get hold of slaked lime (calcium hydroxide, rather than ordinary ground limestone, calcium carbonate) you coud dissolve it in water (it's not very soluble though) and water it around the plants?  Just be careful you don't get quicklime, calcium oxide, which is quite nasty stuff!

Lily 3

Thanks for those answers I'm a bit chemically challenged ! The risk of ending up with calcium oxide sounds a little worrying. I think I'll leave it to chance or try and get some seaweed feed. But thanks anyway.



I understand what your saying welshonion, and yes the brassicas will be in a different part of the veg plot next year. I perhaps didn't explain myself properly. Even the areas that were dug, I've still lost some plants to chaffers, but not as many as where I didn't dig. Will the ground not being over grown help get the numbers down for next year ? Or is it as I suspect lots of digging ? ! And treating chickens to the findings !

bekkie hughes

Hi Steve, was looking in the OGC, they have dolomite lime???? Would that be any good?