Lime , manure and chitting!

Plot almost cleared , if weather holds should finish it tomorrow ... Hooray!

Onions , garlics and shallots growing well ... was advised today by other plot holders not to put any manure on the side that I am growing these and keep that side for potatoes and root veg . as the onions etc are doing well , so other root veg should as well.

They have also recommended that I manure the other half of the plot very soon for brassicas and legumes , but only a thin layer across the top ... does that sound right?

My soil is very clayie and I keep getting contradicting advice about sprinkling some lime about ... joined the local lotty association today and bought a small bag (a bargain at 85p!) but now don't know whether I should sprinkle it about or not!

Last question .... honest! I have taken delivery of a bag of charlotte seed potatoes and a bag of maris piper seed potatoes ... lots of disagreement on site about chitting and whether or not it makes much of a differance .... so do I chit or not? Bearing in mind it is a new plot and could really do with the spuds going in asap to help the soil

Thanks in anticipation

Sal   

I have just limed my brassica bed for the first time as my soil is heavy and will put rotted manure on later on as a  mulch. Don't lime and manure together as you can get some sort of a reaction going on between them. Re- manure and onions - I live near Robinson's (mammoth onion place) and their website advises to put manure underneath then soil on top so the roots can get to the manure. I have heard that onions may rot if in manure so I don't know but Robinson's win prizes at Chelsea so will give it a try this year. 

Putting a thin layer on the top is fine if you have lots of worms: they'll dig it in for you.  If you need to dig anyway, you may as well mix the manure in at the same time.  You can also put a layer around established plants as a mulch (particularly useful for the things that need their feet damp in the sun).

Check the soil pH before you lime: lots of people do it from habit, even when the soil doesn't need it, and do more harm than good that way.

Chitting gives you earlier crops of potatoes, especially first earlies.  It also stops the wretched things sprouting or rotting on you unawares (which can happen all to easily if you leave them in bags and forget to keep an eye on them)!

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