To lime or not to lime?

[PJW_Letchworth]

Could someone answer a question I have concerning whether I should be using lime?

I did a pH test today and it came out as neutral.  The site my allotment is on is known to suffer from club root.  I've tried growing cabbages, cauliflowers and brussels for the last couple of years with little to no success.  This year I am growing everything from seed where possible and I'm keen for my crops to produce well.  I have been following the rotation system and nothing is being grown where it had in the previous three years.

Would I benefit from liming the soil and if so what quantity should I use?  I only have hlaf a plot so I don't want to do anything that is going to affect the following year.

[PJW_Letchworth]

[OllieC]

Did you inspect the roots of the brassica you grew before? i.e. were they disappointing because of clubroot or because of something else?

I'd walk around the site & find out who grows the best sprouts (as they're one of the fussier ones & it's easy to see if they've got it right) & then ask them what they do. Most of the more experienced guys on my plot give the bed a light dusting a couple of weeks before planting.

[Chantenay]

My neighbour has this problem, and what seems to have worked is:
1. Heavier lime - double normal.
2. Improve drainage.
3. Raise seedlings in large individual pots (we think this was the clincher as it gave the roots clean, fresh soil to start from).
People also say never compost infected plants, and try to find club-root resistant varieties (eg Trixie calabrese, Marian swede)

[aob9]

I'd be looking at resistant varieties if at all possible. Clubroot can survive dormant for many years and normal crop rotation may not be enough to remove it. The only way to completely eradicate it to avoid growing susceptible crops and that includes radishes,pak choi and chinese mustard... believe it or not.

The trouble with allotments is that it can be dragged around by foot from one infected area to another.

I know this offers very little comfort but clubroot really is one of the garden nasties.

[PJW_Letchworth]

Thanks to everyone how has replied.  Some useful info there.  I'm fairly new to the allotment and am learning all the time.

Cheers!

[Tee Gee]

I only lime to fit in with my rotation system! Meaning I only lime beds that I am going to grow brassicas in.

You can see here how I lime mine; http://tinyurl.com/3dpucl and this might help with quantities;http://tinyurl.com/yf7byh

[ruffmeister]

i would suggest lime your soil, and also lime the root of your brassicas when being grown, this should help with the dredded club root

[manicscousers]

there's a new magazine out, called grow it, www.growitmag.com  they have a reference of what to do in march  'to avoid clubroot organically, sow in small pots and transplant into a well-limed hole when there are 10 cabbage-type leaves on the plant'..hope this helps  :)

[cornykev]

As Scousers say grow in pots and get a good root before transplanting,and a good springling of lime in the hole before planting.   ;D ;D ;D