[adri]

haven't limed or manured the brassicas patch yet.

Which would be better and is it too late?

Nick

[zazen999]

What's the pH of your soil?

[DD.]

I composed a reply which seems to have gone into the black hole. Darn this mobile broadband connection from the wilds of Cumbria.

Brassicas don't like fresh manure too much and lime is more a defence against club root. If you don't have it, then you probably don't need to do either. Whatever you do, don't do both.

If you want to do one - then lime and make sure your soil is really firm.

[BostonInbred]

Hmm, i have about half a cubic metre of wood ash from the wood burner from the last two months, whats the view about turning that over into the brassica patch?

It'll lime it and add potassium ..............

[adri]

PH

according to the cheapo ph tester from ebay it's about 6.4 (ish)

I think from the replies so far I'll just dig in the load of manure that was delivered last year as well rotted and so should be even more so now...

maybe next season I'll try to get a bit more on top of this.

Thanks for the replies.

Nick

[DavidT]

Adri, you ALWAYS lime the Brassica plot, you NEVER manure it.

[Trikidiki]

Mushroom compost!

Best of both worlds.

[Snoop]

Adri, you ALWAYS lime the Brassica plot, you NEVER manure it.

Forgive my ignorance, but I was under the impression that leafy vegetables like nitrogen, which they can get from manure. Why would you NEVER manure a brassica patch?

[sunshineband]

Too rich, and they like really compacted soil, not fluffy just dug 

[Pompey Spud]

Brassicas do like a previously manured bed.  Nitrogen is needed for all the leaf growth.

[sunshineband]

Brasiccas do like a previously manured bed. Lots of nitrogen is needed for all the leaf growth.

I think the key word is previously there ---- not freshly 

[Aunt Sally]

I manure in autumn and lime the small trenches that I make about 2 weeks before setting out in about May-ish time.  Never manure and lime at the same time.

[brother]

Im after a litttle advice to, I did my first soil test this week and it showed my soil to be 7 - 7.5. So started reading and im now confused, adding lime to my soil would only soften it further so do I need to.
I havent been able to speak to many other plot holder's to find out if there is an issue with club root and as it is my first season do I just plant and see what happens.

[zazen999]

My soil is also 7-7.5 and I don't lime the brassica bed. No need.