Different plants like different PH levels, granted. Most vegetables like slightly acid soil (6.5 to 7PH). Ok, got that too. BUT... I've just read that potatoes tend to prefer a lower pH, more acid, soil and Brassicas prefer a slightly alkaline soil, pH of 7.0 or even slightly higher. Therefore you manure the potato bed and next year add lime to make the bed more brassica friendly, right?
However: I've also read (somewhere) that brassicas like to have a manured bed...but that makes things acidic according to the above paragraph. But won't adding some lime to a manured bed in order to raise the PH and make the soil more alkaline cancel out what you are trying to do and cause additional problems?
And I'm going for the no-dig method using...you guessed it: well rotted manure.
Shall I undo all the mulching, carry on regardless or add a little lime to each hole (well below the manure mulch level) when planting out my brassicas?
Help...
Brain-Dead Bennettsleg strikes again! ??? ::)
Well, as I see it, adding the manure makes the soil nutrient rich, and also tends to lower the pH. Brassicas like the former, but not the latter. Hence adding lime adjusts the pH, but leaves all the nutrients there for the brassicas (not that I grow them, so you could just ignore this post :D ). Hope I have helped ...
Derek :)
PS soil manured the previous year should still contain sufficient nutrients, hence the conventionally advised method.
My preference is to have my brassicas follow on from my spuds like you suggested, i also add manure to where the brassicas are gong then lime the surface and let the weather take it in. My brassica patch is done early so i can walk over it to try and get the soil firm.
we tend to plant brassicas in the previous bean/pea bed so they get the nitrogen that's left by the roots, we put a small bit of lime in the planting hole as our soil needs it and to help against club root..worth it though ;D