Software
Houzz Logo Print
belgianpup

Potatoes, Lime and Rotations

15 years ago

I live in the wet PNW, a place that gets plenty of rain. My soil is sandy loam, and drains a bit excessively, and has a natural pH of 5.8. Soil tests indicate the natural, unimproved soil is deficient in calcium, magnesium, sulfur and boron, with phosphorus marginal. The soil test lab guy said our heavy rains leach the soil of calcium and magnesium, and the soil might have to be limed (dolomite lime) every year, between the calcium uptake in the plants and the leaching.

I know not to plant potatoes in soil that has been freshly limed or manured. So far, I have been able to plant them in new ground, but new ground is getting tight, and I'm having to rotate my 'taters into 'used' beds, so here's my question:

If a bed was limed and manured last year or two years ago, and drenched with 30+" of rain (per year) in the meantime, what do you think is the likelihood of my getting a scab problem if I planted potatoes there? I will be feeding with an all-organic, no-lime fertilizer.

Thanks for any opinions.

Sue

Comments (4)