[puffinstuff]

we burn wood on our fire at home and i was wondering should i use the ash in my plot.  Can i put it in the compost bin?

puffinstuff

[seadart]

According to Bob Flowerdew you can  
"Ashes are rich in potassium, which is important for disease resistance" Amateur Gardener 10th Nov

[mushroom]

I'd add a bit at a time to the compost. It's kind of concentrated. Some farmers use wood ash in place of lime - it is alkaline. As others have said, it contains useful salts like potassium sulphate (potash)

[gobs]

I, personally would put it straight in the garden, rather than into compost.

[mushroom]

I, personally would put it straight in the garden, rather than into compost.

yeah, i'd agree. it's one of those things that likes to be weathered.

[seadart]

It looses it's salts if it's weathered, so it would be best to scatter it on the ground and let the rain wash the goodness into the soil

[splodger]

i always scatter on garden - did a load today infact - garlic likes it too  

[richyrich7]

I, personally would put it straight in the garden, rather than into compost.

yeah, i'd agree. it's one of those things that likes to be weathered.

Mine goes straight on to the garden.

Hens like a dig round in it too, you have to watch 'em incase there's any tatsy screws/nails etc in it tho  :roll:

[Trillium]

When you weather ashes you don't leave them in an open pile. They need to be in covered bins to sit for about a year. They're far too concentrated as is; even soap makers can't use fresh ashes as they're much too alkaline for a while. My neighbour decided he knew better and used them fresh, and his crops were miniature that year, the ones that grew at all.

[new_2_veg]

i was going to ask the same question as we have been burning a few bits of wood ect

so i can scatter it on my freshly dug soil and just leave it? how lightly do i have to scatter it please?  (dont want to over do it)

many thanks

nathan

[muntjac]

a dusting will do for now matey

[WG.]

Something is ringing a bell for me (no, not a church since they gave up on me a long time ago).

Something about wood ash / clay soils & the chemistry involved (from a Laurence Hills book).  It is either very good for them, or very bad.  I think the latter.

[new_2_veg]

i havent got clay, we are very close to the fens, our soil is quite dark in colour and breaks up very nicely.

ive seen people putting ash on there plots but wasnt sure if it was a good or bad things to do

nathan

[muntjac]

i often burne lads of wod etc n just spread it about ,,,, " werks for me "

[DeadlyNightshade]

Just don't put your ash anywhere near your peas! ( I've done that one year in order to keep  the slugs away... unfortunately the damage by the ash was a lot worse than the slugs could ever have been )