[Goldfinger]

I'm getting myself tied in knots here on where to muck and where to lime!  

In the beds I've got, I know where I'll be putting the spuds for next year, so muck's going there this winter.

But should I muck or lime before the peas, beans and onions?? That's where I'm stuck  

I know the brassica bed will need lime too, so they're sorted too.

I think I've shot myself in the foot on where I want to put the other stuff for next year, except for the potatoes.


P.S. I did look on the crop rotation link thingy, and that's where I've got lost/tied up. 

[Kleftiwallah]

Do not muck and lime at the same time.  .  .  .  .One negates the benifits of t'other.

Cheers,      Tony.

[Goldfinger]

The main part where I'm stuck really is, will peas and beans be ok planted where I've mucked??

The other bed will be for the roots, onions and brassicas, so it's lime all the way for them. (I think  )

[mumofstig]

they should be fine, the only no-muck rule is for carrots and suchlike

[Goldfinger]

Ta mum' and all 

As for lime, some lotty holders here have said stay away from the 'white' lime you see in some shops, go for the yellow stuff, it's not as 'hot'.

How much is it these days roughly, from associations?

[JayG]

Don't get too hung up on the muck'n'lime thing when it comes to rotation plans (most of the theory goes out the window anyway if you've got sandy soil like mine because muck or compost barely lasts the growing season never mind any of the benefits carrying over from one season to the next!) 

The practice of spreading manure and liming at the same time is considered to be bad practice because the two react to release ammonia gas, which of course means a lot of your nitrogen will vanish into the air (digging either or both of them in reduces the effect considerably because the reaction can only take place where the two materials meet, and underground ammonia dissolves in the soil water and will eventually be converted back to nitrates.)

Ground dolomitic limestone is a good choice when liming because it is much slower acting than "burnt" lime or slaked lime and also contains some magnesium which some soils lack (you only need to consider burnt lime if you have a serious low pH problem and need a quicker fix.)

[Goosegirl]

Lime for brassicas in spring. Put loads of manure / compost down now on any beds. The winter weather will leave it in a fine tilth for future plants. Onions - interesting fact on this forum about keeping the phosphates low if you want strong-tasting onions like I do.

[Goldfinger]

Last year, I didn't lime or manure anywhere. The plot was a jungle.







Battled on through though....





Adding a polytunnel...





All I did was FB&B and chicken manure pellets to get me through this year as it was a bit of a rush when I took on the plot.

So this year I'm going to do it properly....... says him