[ihusker]

I have a log burner which is going most days and as a result I get about half a carrier bag of wood ash every day. I have a big garden, (about an acre)  so I usually just wander around scattering it. I'm wondering if I am doing the right thing or could I be causing problems. My neighbour just put his in the dustbin, which seems a waste to me, but I am worried in case I get too much potash on the ground and what sort of problems could it give me. Any thoughts?

[WG.]

Potash won't be a problem, a build-up of salt is more likely.  Do you burn hardwood or softwoods?

[dawninspain]

We always put our ash round the roses which are supposed to like it.

Dawn

[WG.]

Also asparagus & the onion family.

[Trillium]

I've always found that fresh wood ash burns the plants, so I pile it outside for a while to mellow before adding to the garden in fall.

[mkhenry]

Wood ash is great for an open camp site Latrine.After use you scatter it on the suface it is the best fly deterrant there is.Also I was always told to mix fresh chicken manure with wood ash to help stop it burning the plants, check this with WG.

[WG.]

Correct mkh.  Lawrence Hills even suggests spreading wood ash on the floor of the chicken shed.

[mkhenry]

Correct mkh.  Lawrence Hills even suggests spreading wood ash on the floor of the chicken shed.

Ta WG I knew you would know,I hate posting anything unless I am totally certain it is correct

[WG.]

I wouldn't worry about it.   Nothing much is black/white in the gardening world (and there is always the Edit button provided no-one has quoted you!).

[mkhenry]

I wouldn't worry about it.   Nothing much is black/white in the gardening world (and there is always the Edit button provided no-one has quoted you!).

Because I have been gardening for so many years and have always listened to those around me,and read and read so many books,I sometimes remember loads of facts about the same subject.When I post I have to check and recheck that the answer I give is the correct one for todays gardening climate.No good giving advice that is banned, illegal,or down right outlawed. :shock:

[ihusker]

Wood ash is great for an open camp site Latrine.After use you scatter it on the suface it is the best fly deterrant there is.Also I was always told to mix fresh chicken manure with wood ash to help stop it burning the plants, check this with WG.

Unfortunately I have a flushing toilet although it goes to a Fosse Septique somewhere so the wife wont let me dig a latrine. The wood I burn is mostly hardwood, but with a bit of conifer in as well as they are free. I haven't noticed any problems yet but I think maybe I should let it weather a bit to be on the safe side. I also scatter it on my compost heaps but I haven't been doing it long enough to notice any difference.

[splodger]

ash is a reasonable slug deterrant - so i surround my greens bed with ash. garlic is very fond of it too.

old ash can also be used as a mulch in the flower bed - if you have enough of it.

[Annie]

I have put our last lot round the garlic. In winter I pop it on the compost heap then save it as we use the fire less and mostly use it on garlic,because it was so mild this winter I didn`t save enough for the onions.
  Half a carrier bag of ash a day seems a lot to me,we have 2 log burners and get about 1 bag a week when we`re using them all day.

[ihusker]

Sorry I got my bags mixed up. I meant half a Tesco's disposable plastic bag. My wood burner does seem to use a lot of logs. It is one of those glass fronted jobbies with two electric fans built in to blow the heat out. I think most of the heat goes up the chimney, but there's not a lot I can do with it as it was built in to a huge granite fireplace when the house was built. I had the chimney swept and there was a slight improvement but I think it is pretty inefficient as I seem to get through about a wheelbarrow full of logs a day. I have central heating as well but its oil fired as we don't have gas here and that costs an arm and a leg to run, so I tend to use the log fire and put the heating on when necessary to top up the heat.

[Annie]

Does seem like a lot of logs.We`ve the same heating issues as you,no mains gas and oil-fired central heating but we`ve put in new wood burners and haven`t used the central heating this year.We`re trying to insulate as much as poss.but it`s tricky in an old house as we can`t put in double glazing and the doors have generous gaps under them.OH is sure there must be someway to `collect`the heat that zooms up the chimney.