Liming
Calcium is required as a plant nutrient, but its main effect is on the soil pH or acidity. This can dramatically affect plant growth, mainly by its influence on the availability of other nutrients.
Calcium, Potassium, and Magnesium all become less available to plants as acidity increases (pH gets lower), whereas Phosphorus (which requires a slightly acid soil) is unavailable to plants in relatively acid and high pH (alkaline) soils.
For vegetable production aim for a general pH of around 6.5 - 6.8 (5.8 - 6.0 for peat soils). Never apply lime so that pH goes above 7.0.
If a soil analysis indicates that lime is needed then apply a suitable liming material such as ground limestone or ground magnesian limestone (dolomite) at the appropriate rate shown in the following table.
By Adrian Saunders
The author is an organic development adviser and trainer. You can contact him on adrian@organicni.org.uk
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