Question: How to add lime

Hi Jonathan and thanks for your question about adding lime to your soil. You are actually trying to reach a pH of 6.5 (see last line of your report) which is what most vegetables do best at. I do think you will want to use agricultural lime and follow the directions on the bag very carefully. It is easy to add too much, but not helpful in the case of plants.

This also will not permanently change the pH of your soil, so you will want to test again at least every 2 years to see what is needed. You can obtain a free test at various Master Gardener events like the Spring Garden Fair or Fall Into Gardening events in Clackamas County.

Good job getting an official test before you start adding things! Unfortunately, this is not a common practice among gardeners.

Happy vegetable growing,

Rhonda Frick-Wright Replied June 25, 2024, 1:25 PM EDT

Hi Rhonda,

Thanks for getting back to me!

Yesyterday, I weeded all the woodsorrel growing in my 9x11 ft plot, and added 1lb of feather meal and 1.5 lbs of magnesium sulfate as per the recommendations from Concentrates https://www.concentratesnw.com/

I also bought several starts from Concentrates, and plan to plant them today.

Tomatoes: (1) 'Sunrise Bumblebee' and (1) 'Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye'

Peppers: (2) 'Stocky Roaster'

Below is a complimentary plan from ChatGPT.4. How does it look to you?

Are there other easy vegetables to plant this time of year?

Jonathan

Yes, planting the taller plants in the northernmost part of the plot is a good strategy. This approach prevents the taller plants from casting shadows on the shorter plants, ensuring that all plants receive adequate sunlight throughout the day.

### Layout with Taller Plants to the North

Here is a revised layout for your 9x11 ft plot, with the taller tomato plants placed in the northernmost part of the plot and the shorter pepper plants to the south:

#### Steps:

1. **First Row (North - Tomatoes)**:

- Plant 'Sunrise Bumblebee' and 'Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye' tomatoes in a single row along the northern edge of the plot.

- Space the tomatoes 24-36 inches apart in the row.

- Keep the row approximately 1.5-2 ft from the northern edge for access and to allow some airflow behind the plants.

2. **Second Row (Middle - Peppers)**:

- Plant the 'Stocky Roaster' peppers in a row parallel to the tomato row.

- Space the peppers 18-24 inches apart in the row.

- Keep the row approximately 3-4 ft from the first row of tomatoes.

- Space these plants 18-24 inches apart in the row.

- Keep this row approximately 24-36 inches from the middle row of peppers.

### Visualization

Here’s a simplified diagram for the north-south orientation with taller plants to the north:

```

----------------------------------------------- (North)

| |

| T (24-36 inches) T | (Tomatoes: 'Sunrise Bumblebee' and 'Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye')

| |

| (48-60 inches between rows) |

| |

| P (18-24 inches) P | (Peppers: 'Stocky Roaster')

| |

| (24-36 inches between rows) |

| |

| P (18-24 inches) P | (Additional Peppers or Shorter Plants)

----------------------------------------------- (South)

```

- **T**: Tomato plant ('Sunrise Bumblebee' and 'Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye')

- **P**: Pepper plant ('Stocky Roaster') or other shorter plants

### Benefits

- **Maximized Sunlight**: This layout ensures that the shorter pepper plants will not be shaded by the taller tomato plants, allowing all plants to receive sufficient sunlight.

- **Ease of Access**: Proper spacing between rows allows you to move easily between the plants for maintenance, watering, and harvesting.

- **Air Circulation**: Adequate spacing also helps with air circulation, reducing the risk of fungal diseases.

### Additional Tips

- **Mulching**: Apply mulch around the base of each plant to retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds.

- **Watering**: Ensure consistent and deep watering, especially during dry periods. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses can be very effective.

- **Support**: Provide stakes, cages, or trellises for the tomato plants to support their growth and prevent them from sprawling on the ground.

- **Pest Management**: Regularly inspect the plants for signs of pests or diseases and take appropriate action if needed.

By planting the taller tomato plants to the north and the shorter pepper plants to the south, you optimize the sunlight exposure and create a well-organized garden plot that supports healthy growth and high productivity for all your plants.

From: ask=<personal data hidden> <ask=<personal data hidden>> on behalf of Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>>
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2024 10:25 AM
To: Jonathan Eder <<personal data hidden>>
Subject: Re: Question: How to add lime (#0143651)

Dear Jonathan, here's the response to your question:

Hi Jonathan and thanks for your question about adding lime to your soil. You are actually trying to reach a pH of 6.5 (see last line of your report) which is what most vegetables do best at. I do think you will want to use agricultural lime and follow the directions on the bag very carefully. It is easy to add too much, but not helpful in the case of plants.

This also will not permanently change the pH of your soil, so you will want to test again at least every 2 years to see what is needed. You can obtain a free test at various Master Gardener events like the Spring Garden Fair or Fall Into Gardening events in Clackamas County.

Good job getting an official test before you start adding things! Unfortunately, this is not a common practice among gardeners.

Happy vegetable growing,

Need to reply to the expert? Click the link below, or simply reply to this email.

Click here to view #0143651

Rhonda Frick-Wright

OSU Extension Master Gardener

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The Question Asker Replied June 25, 2024, 1:43 PM EDT

Hi Jonathan and yes, your plan looks great! The vegetables I have on my list to plant this time of year, usually for fall and winter harvest, include:
snap beans, brocoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts (difficult to grow) beets, carrots, kale and leeks

At the beginning of August you can plant:
lettuce, kale, beets, fennel, collards, mustard green, swiss chard, kohlrabi and radishes

These mentioned are all from seed. You can plant starts of lettuce now and starts of broccoli and chinese cabbage in August.

Have fun playing in the garden!

Rhonda Frick-Wright Replied June 25, 2024, 7:22 PM EDT

Question: How to add lime #873733

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