[Manteiga]

Hello All,

Appologies for not joining in earlier discussions (this season lurker), but not sure if there is anything I can contribute of value.

I have taken on an allotment this year and am a complete novice. Needless to say, I have had a terrible year so far, with virtually none of my seeds germinating (I have 2 lettuce and 6 parsnips). Basically, it is a barron wasteland. I have spent many hours battling with the weeds, and now I have a completely weed free allotment (for a couple of days). It is also nearly completely vegetable free.

So, as my first allotment year has been a cropping disaster, and as only weeds wanted to grow; I borrowed a fairly expensive PH tester and found that the soil is only very marginally above 5 ph. Is there anything I can grow to raise the PH of the soil or is it a case of ground lime the only way to go?

Also, should I leave it as bare earth over the winter or is there anything else I should do?

Thanks
Manteiga

[solway cropper]

Are you sure the pH test is accurate?

If you can identify the type of weeds growing that can be a useful indicator of the soil condition.

What was the allotment before it became an allotment, if you see what I mean.

[Manteiga]

Pretty sure, used the tester in lots of different areas of the allotment, and in another garden (in different part of country). Most weeds are thistles, wild parsnips (I guess), bindweed and nettles.  There are others but I don't know what they are.

Prior to becomming an allotment it was abandoned land in the corner of a farmers field- 25 years previously it was an allotment. I am the first person to try to cultivate it since then.

[peapod]

Nettles are an indicator of acid soil, but if course over the space of a plot it could vary wildly.

The best ph for most veg is 6 to 6.5, so to increase the soil ph you need to bring it into balance. You do need to add lime, depends on the acidity of the reading and the packet bought so read it for help....easily found in Wilkinsons.

Then about two weeks later I would personally add well rotted manure and cover over winter with black plastic (I have found this an amazing time saver this year and would now swear by it).  This will bring up the soil structure too to benefit next year.

[azubah]

Is your soil very peaty? Peat is acid, apparently. If it is chalky it will be alkaline. What colour is the soil?

[fatcat1955]

If your meter is accurate you will need more than a box of lime from wilko's. Buy a 25kg sack (£9) at my local G Centre. You will probably need to re-apply as well. DO NOT add lime and manure at the same time. Manure as pea pod say's in the autumn and add the lime when you dig the ground in spring.

[Manteiga]

Thanks for your help so far folks. The soil is quite easy to dig now as I spent a long time digging it over to get the weeds and roots out. It is quite a light brown colour.

There are 4 other plots and these have been started at the same time as myself, all novices as well. Potatoes have generally been quite successful, but we are all having similar problems. I am not sure how much is down to the weather, pests eating seeds or seeds rotting, or just not liking the soil enough to germinate.

Should I just lime a couple of beds, fertilise a couple of others and then try again?

[Salmo]

If you lime now and work it in you can apply manure in the Autumn. Whether you dig it in or leave it on the surface covered with a sheet is your choice. Re-test the soil in the Spring. If it is still acid work in more lime.

There is a section on here under Grow Your Own which will tell you all about lime and how much to add.

If you add where you live to your profile, county is good enough, it will help us on here to help you better. What type of soil do you have? Clay, sand, limestone etc.

You could grow a green manure to cover the soil. Mustard or phacelia are quick growers and could be dug in before you apply the manure in the Autumn.

[savbo]

Before investing lots of money and time into trying to alter the pH, I would invest £5 in a testing kit. I know you have confirmed the meter is good but they are so easy to get a wrong reading with that I would still double check with the chemical kit.

Spent mushroom compost is alkaline and could be a useful addition to ground limestone.

John's book gives a good guide to when to lime and when not to...

sav