VALUE OF LIME IN THE SOIL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 750, 24 August 1929, Page 32

VALUE OF LIME IN THE SOIL

In the making of a garden, two important factors —the mechanical preparation of the land, and manuring—have to be considered. Under the first of these we might include the addition of lime to the soil. A glance around suburban gardens convinces one that the average home gardener has some idea of the value of lime, but he may not know its full value. In the first place, most soils are, to a certain extent, sour. This means that they contain some organic acid, the presence of which is detrimental

to the plant. Lime, being an alkaline substance, neutralises this acid, and so renders the soil sweet. In clay soils the lime tends to cause the flue particles of clay to flocculate. This brings about a greater friability when the soil is dry, and makes it less cohesive or sticky when wet. Another great benefit arising from the addition of lime lies in the fact that soils, as a rule, contain substances necessary as a plant food in an insoluble condition. The addition of lime brings these substances into a soluble form, and thus makes them available for absorption by the plant. One of the most eostb’ elements of artificial plant food is nitrogen. Soil, however, contains a fairly large supply of this element in the form of plant or animal matter. This nitrogen is made available as a plant food by organic organisms known as bacteria. In order that these bacteria can live in the soil, it must be sweet and properly aerated. The function of lime in sweetening the soil has already been discussed. Lime also tends to loosen the soil, and thus allow a greater access of air. A well-known manure Is superphosphate, the basic constituents of which are lime and phosphoric acid. z Valuable as is lime to the soil, if should not be used as manure. in itself it is not a fertiliser, and a too liberal use will gradually tend to impoverish the' soil, and thereby remove the elements essential to plant life. These elements must be replenished by the addition of suitable manure. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS D.. Thames.—lf your bulbs have been In the same place without shifting for a number of years, they are bound to deteriorate and stop flowering. Should this be the case, move to fresh ground next autumn. If they are new bulbs planted last season they may not all flower for a year or so ns some varieties when shifted take a while to re-estab-lish themselves. I would-not discard yet a while. A little bonedust forked lightly in will do good. Amateur, Takapuna.—To get the best results from your primrose plants water liberally with liquid manure when In bud. During the growing season, blood and bone may be forked in round the roots. During the hot summer and autumn a mulch of rotted manure or straw sperad over the bed will protect the crowns from scorching and burning the young leaves.