[jimroden]

Heeeellllp
i bought a ph tester today as i thought my soil would be very acidy as i can not grow brasica's of any sort. i shoved it in the dirt and after about a minuite or two it went green indicating alkaline is this good or bad

Jim

[Trillium]

Sounds like you're in one of the many chalk areas of the UK. You definitely won't add any lime to your soils. Instead, you'll need to acidify areas for growing sprouts and other problem crops. Eracious compost, sulphur (but not ammonium sulphate), pine needles and other acidifying agents will help your soil neutralize a bit more, which is what many crops prefer.

[jimroden]

Sounds like you're in one of the many chalk areas of the UK. You definitely won't add any lime to your soils. Instead, you'll need to acidify areas for growing sprouts and other problem crops. Eracious compost, sulphur (but not ammonium sulphate), pine needles and other acidifying agents will help your soil neutralize a bit more, which is what many crops prefer.

Thats the problem it'd not chalky it's a sandy soil every one on our allotment complains od acid

[sparky]

If you'r not bothered about pure "organic" Sulphate of Iron" will bring the alkalinity down.
Get it from most garden centers

[Trillium]

If it's acidic, then you should  have lots of blueberries growing there, which somehow I doubt.

Do another test with your pH meter, but test it in a number of different areas of your plot from one end to the other and record the readings. Then ask some neighbouring plots to test their soil levels. Should give you a more accurate reading and idea of what's going on. Then ask us again.

[Tinbasher]

Sounds like you're in one of the many chalk areas of the UK. You definitely won't add any lime to your soils. Instead, you'll need to acidify areas for growing sprouts and other problem crops. Eracious compost, sulphur (but not ammonium sulphate), pine needles and other acidifying agents will help your soil neutralize a bit more, which is what many crops prefer.

Thats the problem it'd not chalky it's a sandy soil every one on our allotment complains od acid

Be careful.  Soil tends to naturally veer to the acidic side of neutral rather than the alkaline side, apart from over definite alkaline bases.  Hence the addition of lime every third year, apart from being necessary for brassicas, has the benefit of neutralising any acidic build up over the other two years.  Otherwise, soil would get progressively more alkaline every third year to the point that it would be infertile.  Leaf-mold tends to slightly acidify a soil, more so if oak or beech leaves (am I right?) are used.  Peat, including peat-based spent potting compost will acidify a soil.  I would be wary of deliberately acidifying a soil.  It's far easier to make a soil acid than the reverse or neutral.  You could go too far.  If other locals complain of acid soil I would take as much heed of them as a one-off test on your own plot.  Test again and in differing spots.

[GreenOwl]

Otherwise, soil would get progressively more alkaline every third year to the point that it would be infertile.  

Think that's a typo and you mean soil gets progressively more acid.

Anyway Jim, my soil is genuinely alkaline, and the chemical ph tester went to a darker green than the example strip will samples from all over the garden!  Do test in different places as you may have had a spurious result.  Also, did you follow the instructions in using the tester?  I had one of those once and I thought you were supposed to dig up some soil from 6" or so down and mix with water etc. etc. but I'm typing from memory as its not in front of me.

Other things to look for on alkaline soils are that lilacs grow well and hydrangers go pink rather than blue unless treated (untreated ones here go pale pink to white!).

I do give my soil as much garden compost as I can make and the Christmas tree shreddings but other than that I don't bother trying to acidify my soil, I seem to be able to grow all sorts of crops without too much bother.  I grant you I don't grow much in the way of brassicas due to space limitations.  Apparently my raspberries won't last that long and I wouldn't try to grow blueberries straight in the grown (if I grew them - I don't like them so I don't).

Its not a case of good or bad in alkaline vs. acid.  Its what you've got.  Its worth knowing so you do or don't try planting something that has to have acid soil straight in the ground (rhodadendrons, azaleas, camelias or blueberries).  

Sandy soil generally isn't alkaline I think so I do wonder if you had a spurious result.