Does the pH of the soda affect how the lime-stone gets absorbed?Thanks all answers
lime does break up the soil , also adding compost, and there is a stronger lime powder that has more calcium , clay breaker was a well known brand name
Release Soil Conditioner is great for breaking up clay soil. It uses an all natural process to open up soils, allowing nutrients, water and oxygen to reach plant roots. Improves soil porosity and reduces the need for mechanical aeration.
Get the pH value of the soil tested before adding lime.A ph of 7.0 is considered neutral,a reading above 7.0 is alkaline,lime is not needed.Below 7.0,the soil is acid and the addition of lime may be beneficial,depending on the crops to be grown. A soil analysis will show what trace elements and minerals may be deficent. The best,cheapest way to improve a clay soil is to dig in the fall,let the winter weather work on the soil.Rake it down in spring,at the same time digging in as much well rotted manure or compost as possible. In this way,the crumb structure of the clay will be improved,the added manure will form humus to make the soil more fertile.Properly cultivated clay contains all the elements for good gardening,it is especially suited to growing roses and many root vegetables.
Digging your clay soil and adding lime will help the soil flocculate,then you keep adding organic materials to prevent it from reverting. The old method of breaking your clay was to plant potatoes for a few years, this broke the soil up nicely. Plant your mint in an elevated bucket or it will go everywhere. You really need a good book on it, people at nurseries are just shop-keepers really unless you are lucky. Get the cheap and cheerful Hessayon series 'The Veg Expert' it tells you all correctly I've found.
I also have a clay soil and had to deal with some in the past too. The real problem with clay soil is that it tends to be cold and does not drain very well if at all. So you need something to lighten it and drain better; rather than lime try to get some chalk if you can as it is kinder to the soil and plants. Also add loads, and I mean loads, of organic material - leaves, animal manure, straw, seaweed and best of all, compost which you have made yourself from kitchen waste. It will take a year or two to show real improvement but there is only one other alternative which can be expensive and that is to buy a load of top soil to put on top. I personally will not do this however because one never knows whether it might contain some undesirable material.
