Ask Gerry

Could you use builders lime to adjust the acidity of a soil?

Can you tell me the best way on how to make and store compost?

I made a raised veg bed and filled it with soil, compost and well rotted horse manure about a month ago. It is very acidic, about 5.5. I have read you should not apply lime when manure has been added recently. It seems I have no choice though. Can I apply lime now and how should I apply it?

Neighbour has built a high wall by my veg plot. I now only get sun early in the morning and then for the late afternoon.While I understand vegs need sun,what vegs would be more tolerant of shade than others ?

The smaller bits and pieces from leftover Turf (Fuel) can those be used arround the garden ?

I grew veg from plants in boxes last year cucumber /courgette, not too sucessfully ! Grew in multi purpose compost, may not have watered enough, fed with tomato feed,any sugestions for this year?

This shed wall, in my concrete back yard, is south facing and a great sun trap. I plan to build a raised bed against this wall using a low concrete wall in front. Is there an optimum height and width for such a bed? I hope to grow shrubs, fruit and veg in it.

I have constructed a raised bed using concrete blocks about 500mm high, with sand/cement mix as an external finish. Do I need to line the inside of this wall before filling with soil to avoid later damp/green algal growth on the wall exterior and if so, what should I use?

I just started at a new bit of ground for growing veg ... i dug it over and added farm yard manure to it today, its about 12 ft square . what should i do next ? i just realised that it only gets sun in the morning and the evening as the house is blocking it during the day. but it has a south facing wall behind it ! will i have trouble with growing, if so what can i grow there .

Having only recently moved to a new house we have just finished weeding and rotivating our plot. Is it too late to add some seaweed to it? We don't have a compost yet and I'd like to nourish the soil.

I want to prepare a new vegetable plot for spring which is at present part of my lawn, can i kill off the grass now or do i need to lift the sod before digging.If i can kill the grass what is best to use.

We had a vegetable patch last summer (2009) and it was a success. We could not put the time into this year and now it is overgrown. In preparation for next year I am thinking of spraying some rambo/roundup on it before the winter sets in. Would this be ok?

I am very much a new gardner and have just had my lawn mowed for the first time. I would like to try my hand at growing some vegetables. So my questions are : Are there any preparations that the soil would would need please.Also what vegetables are good for beginners to start off with pls. L

We have 5 large vegetable plots which we would like to plant green manure in over winter, could you advise me as to what is best to grow and also any stockists as we dont seem to be able to find any anywhere.

I have recently read about lasagne gardening in a US magazine. Do you know anything about it.