SPUD and Brassica Question from a Newbie!

[mew]

Hi all

Just had delivery of some organic compost and topsoil to back fill my 4 raised beds my hubby has just finished for me.

Various places ive read on the world wide web and books say that you should add lime to the soil for your brassicas to help with potential club root etc. Is this something I will still need to do even with the newly delivery compost and soil?

Also ive read that spuds don’t like horse muck (which I have plenty of) so am I best not putting any in where my spuds are?

Sorry for the apparently stupid questions but im a first timer on all this and need all the help I can get.

Thanks as always

MEW

[Millymollymandy]

I don't the answer to either , but I think the club root problem is more likely to be a problem if you are growing brassicas where you grew them before (in last few years). It sounds like your beds are new though!

I thought spuds liked muck or compost, so long as it is well rotted? I need to know the answer to this question too!

[Jack]

Gidday

I would not use lime personally. Club root is often associated with molybdenum imbalance and lime will alway effect that.

As for the horse poop, why on earth would spuds not like good organic matter. If in doubt only do half the crop with plenty and the rest leave then you will know absolutely for subsequent crops.

[mew]

Well I did wonder, maybe ive just been misreading it. Told you it was a stupid question, but I guess its better to measure twice and cut once.

Thanks for the info

[Millymollymandy]

They aren't stupid questions Mew. At least one of them is pretty complicated! Cos it doesn't sound like there's many people out there who know the answers!

[Jack]

Gidday

I don't believe that any question is stupid. However sometimes answer can be and many may think mine is. However my answer here is what I actually believe even though many will think it is wrong.

As for the horse poop, it won't cost you anything to do what I said and use heaps on one half and non on the other and then you will know for sure.

There could be some differences between one horse poop compared to another because you cannot always know what any animal is fed these days.

An example to this, I used to always believe that calf poop and sawdust was great stuff, on the garden that is. However a few years ago I got some out of a shed where calves were fed and it killed my garden, and others have had the same thing with their gardens. I figure that they are now feeding calves something that sure aint any good on a garden.

[ohareward]

Hi Mew, I would mix the compost and soil together first. For the spuds you can put some blood and bone in with each spud when you plant, about half a hand full, depending how big your hand is, or if you have comfrey you can put some leaves in the bottom of the trench. Brassicas, like most plants like a well drained site, but need to be watered regularly as they do not like extreme fluctuations in moisture. Cauliflowers take longer than cabbages or broccoli to grow.They do not need lime as you are giving them a good start. You might need to apply lime in later years depending on what you plant and what condition you keep the soil in. Regards Robin.