[gifutiger]

Greetings,

Thanks for considering my question, in the section titled Lime – the vital fertilizer the statement is made:

"Never lime in the same year you fertilize."

My question is what is meant by the "year you fertilize" as I always add fertilizer every year.

Specifically I added compost to my garden this year and was wondering it that is what is meant by "year you fertilize"

Thanks for your help.

Cheers

[DD.]

If I've got it half right, from what I remember, if you lime at the same time as you put down a fertilizer, such as 'Growmore', there is a chemical reaction, producing an excess of nitrogen, causing the plants to bolt.

Certainly this is what happened when I did it with my spring cabbage a few years ago, then all did a runner in November!

[WG.]

Avoid lime and manure at the same time.  Avoid Growmore at all times (speaking organically of course )

My cabbage patch (which is what wants the lime), does very nicely on the residual manure which I apply (heavily) for potatoes and alliums (mainly garlic, shallots and jap onions).

[Aunt Sally]

Adding lime to your soil helps orgainc material break down to produce humic acid which makes nutrients in the soil soluable and available to the plants more quickly.

Lime, lime and no manure,
Makes the fathers rich,
and the sons poor.

[niclala]

I've got really chalky soil - would I still need to add lime anyway?

[WG.]

I'd reckon not.  Take a pH sample if you aren't sure

[niclala]

Thanks.

It's very alkaline, no matter how much muck and compost I dig through, so I'll assume I can give the lime a miss. I haven't tried any brassicas,  but perhaps I should give them a go!