[BML]

I find something every now and then in gardening reading that refers to Club Root in Cabbage but it rarely goes into detail.  One article said one should add Lime to acid soil but gave no precise detail so I have a series of questions.

1.  My soil is clay but is that acid or not and should one add lime to it.
2.  If one adds lime how much should be added?
3.  Should one dip the cabbage plant roots in lime before planting out?

[pgkevet]

I haven't had reason to consider how the acidity of soil affects clubroot but the royal horticulural society says liming helps...and I;d gues they are an authority to believe
How much you should lime you spoil has to depend on it's pH ..whether it's clay or not is less significant than how it's been used/abused/cultivated. Lime alkalinises (sulphur acidifies). Soil becomes more acid with boggy anaerobic conditions and higher levels of organic matter - why bog plants like blueberry/cranberry are 'lime haters'

You can pick up soil pH meters fairly cheap and test several areas of your growing patch then refer to tables to adjust the pH. RHS however suggests:
Club root is reduced (but not eliminated) by raising the soil pH by liming. On acid soils, lime at the rate of 500g per sq m (15oz per sq yd), with lighter dressings of 270g per sq m (8oz per sq yd) in future years

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?PID=128

[BML]

Many thanks.