In message , Angel
writes

I'd love to be able to plant some rhododendrons, but I'm puzzled as to
whether I have 'lime free' soil. Is this the same as acid?

an acid soil will be low in lime - adding lime makes the soil more
alkaline and thus less acidic

My soil is quite heavy clay, I try to work in compost and sand when I
dig, so it's not too waterlogged, and I was once told by my local
garden centre that our soil locally is 'slightly acid'. Can anyone
help me out with the terminology of lime and acid?

you could buy a soil testing kit to discover the ph of the soil in your
garden

Will I need to buy
ericaceous (sp?) compost to plant them?

If you really needed to you could, but you would be wasting your money
unless you were planning to create a raised bed. The ph of the
surrounding soil would otherwise just re-establish itself in your
planting area over time.

Or am I wasting my time and
should I just get over it and plant something else? Thanks for all
input, I'm a bit stuck here.

I would give it a go - if the leaves start to turn yellow then treat it
with some sequestered iron (Miracid).

--
dave @ stejonda

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