"BAC" wrote
It might help him to work out how much lime he wants to add in the first
place, and then check effectiveness.

That's why I want a hand held pH meter, do a sq metre with a known weight of
lime, leave for a bit and check so I can work out the dose needed for the
whole plot.


As a rough guide, RHS recommends 190 gm/m2 Calcium Carbonate to raise pH
by
half a unit (loam soil); 420 gm/m2 (clay soil); 140 gm/m2 (sandy soil).
The
normal target is a slightly acid soil of 6.5. This time of year would be a
good time to dig it in. Probably not such a good idea to add manure at the
same time, because ammonia may be released, reducing the nitrogen content.

Thank you for that, the strange nature of the soil, some days it's like
light clay other days it seems more like sandy loam, makes those
recomendations only a very rough guide. :-(
Unfortunately the plot also needs manure, but that can wait until the new
year if I get well rotted stuff.


Me, I just chuck a few handfuls on and dig it in :-)

So did I before we moved to this plot! :-)

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London