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Wood ash
deadkeendaisy
Posts: 16
in Talkback
What is the best way to use the wood ash from our small log burner please? We get about half a bucket every 3 or 4 days. Do I have to store it dry first or can it be added to something immediately? Are there any plants or areas which are an absolute no-no for it?
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We mix our wood ash into our kitchen waste. The resulting compost comprehensive soil improver.
Ours just gets sprinkled on the compost heap.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks Andrew, I like the idea but not sure the worms in the wormery would feel the same. However it has made me think I could mix the ash with the compost from the wormery.
In an old gardening book I have it says sprinkle a couple of handfuls in December/January on clematis, peonies, delphiniums. Which I have done, and have just read that a new herb border benefits fron a bucket full being dug in. I a about to do one of these so am now saving the ash.
I have also added it to the compost
I am new to this as well and do not want to throw it away
Just remembered it can be sprinkled round the soil of tree and soft fruits in early spring/late autumn
Hi dead keen ,i read its good for veg, and not to leave it on top but turn it over into the soil as it depleats its goodness in the rain,and not to be used on shrubs the books talk about acidity of the soil so i just dug it in our raised veg beds hope iv doneright
lot of luck Alan
Hello' The rain depleting ash goodness is that when a down pour washes the surface away? Do green mauure crops reduce surface erosion? Ash acidity is certain in sulphate of potash, it contains sulphur. I'm not sure about wood ash, is that acid as well?
spread on your veggie plot.
wood ash is alkaline i believe. i read in a composting book that wood ash shouldn't be added to the compost heap after the process is completed,(if you see what i mean), as it slows down the composting magic.
After all this years rain i was going to use it on my veg beds to sweeten them up, but i'm not sure how much to use per sq mt. can anyone advise me please??
cheers.
post should read; don't add wood ash BEFORE the composting process is completed.
Wood ash is alkaline and does contain a few useful nutrients. Certainly ok on the veggie plot. The only wood ash I wouldn't use is from burnt treated wood as this will contain copper compounds which are poisonous. I learnt that the hard way when I burnt a pile of old fencing panels many years ago. Anything grown on that piece of ground was stunted even several years later and I had to eventually remove and replace the soil at that spot.