Acidity and Potato's

[Ken65]

I've been testing Ph on the bed planned for this years spuds and found it to be 5.5-6.0 Ph. I've always understood that you should'nt lime where you plant spuds but what about this situation with the soil being so acid.
I've tested a number of points across the bed and the reading is pretty consistant. So the question is should I lime and what rate should I apply it.
Ken

[Tony Hague]

Seems quite acidic - but first, what did you test it with ? I held the mistaken belief that I had an acid soil for some time before I discovered that the cheap pH meter I had was telling me complete rubbish, and it was in fact slightly alkaline !

[Ken65]

Results are from chemical tests, tried Ph meter in the past and found them un-reliable.

Ken

[solway cropper]

I had the same results as Tony from one of those probe meters. Told me I had acid soil so I limed it and ended up with scabbed potatoes.

Bought a proper chemical kit and it told me the pH was around 7.5+ and certainly didn't need liming.

You should be OK for potatoes with the soil as it is. They will tolerate quite acid conditions.

[Geoff]

Aren't a lot of potatoes grown on what up North are called mosses? Acidic peaty soil. I'm sure they will be OK.

[alan refail]

I've been testing Ph on the bed planned for this years spuds and found it to be 5.5-6.0 Ph.

Quote from RHS

Potatoes need to grow where they are unchecked by frost or lack of moisture. Ideally they should have a deep, fertile soil with a pH of 5-6

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening/ ... wl_481.pdf

Your soil sounds spot on

[Ken65]

Thanks everyone, wonderfull things these "forums"

Ken