[riggers24]

I have always been told not to add lime and manure to my beds at the same time. I have googled this and found contradicting information.

So who does add lime and manure at the same time, if I did what would be the results

[mumofstig]

This old thread explains what happens and ways around it, I hope it helps
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=100312.msg1113710#msg1113710

[DanielCoffey]

This has actually been a good post for me to bump into. It is a useful reminder to me to get a soil test done.

Next summer I move to a new location with 0.2A of former paddock and 0.3A under Beech trees. According to the test bores, we have a foot of soil and grass roots, three feet of soil and clay, two feet of stony clay then solid stones all the way down.

When I viewed the plot last March there were some waterlogged areas under the trees too. That is going to take some improving!

[riggers24]

Thanks mumofstig it does help. I'll get the huge pile of manure spread now. I'm going to do a ph test next year when I dig the ground over.

[Salmo]

The science behind this is that manure is acid and if the lime is spread at the same time some of it will be counteracted by the acid manure. I do not fully buy this. If it is all mixed with the soil anyway why would it make any difference in the long term. I would certainly avoid mixing fertilizers such as growmore or chicken manure with either manure or lime as direct contact may either loose the nutrients or make them unavailable.

Lime really needs to be applied and mixed into the top 6 inches in the Autumn. If it is applied in the Spring it may not have sufficient time to work before you want to plant things.

It is important that you take samples of soil for testing so that you get an average of the pH level in each bed or section of the plot. Take lots samples 6 inches deep with a trowel from all over the bed and put them in a bucket. Thoroughly mix up the soil in the bucket and then test several small samples from that. I have found that the probe type testers give very variable results. The tube and powder kits from garden centres are better.