[dustcartkev]

i get loads of wood ash from my two wood burners, is it ok to put all of the ash on my allotment, and can i put some on my compost bin, thanks.

[arugula]

You can do both, as long it is purely wood ash. If you burn coal too, you need to be a bit circumspect about how you spread the ash.

[JayG]

It's mainly a source of calcium and potassium, but both are quite soluble so best used as a top dressing during the growing season rather than chucked on in winter.

Tends to be rather alkaline too, so don't use it on lime-hating (ericaceous) plants.

OK to sprinkle on your compost heap but don't add it by the bucketload!

[pdblake]

I believe soft fruit and onions like it.

[dustcartkev]

You can do both, as long it is purely wood ash. If you burn coal too, you need to be a bit circumspect about how you spread the ash.

we only burn wood, and loads of it, as the wife feels the cold, as like most woman, ah ah.

[Trillium]

Fruit trees also like a dressing of ashes, but not too heavy. I also spread excess along our line of 100 year old acer trees.

[arugula]

You can do both, as long it is purely wood ash. If you burn coal too, you need to be a bit circumspect about how you spread the ash.

we only burn wood, and loads of it, as the wife feels the cold, as like most woman, ah ah.

That's OK then.

[gremlin]

Logs and untreated wood are good, but I have burnt over the winter 30 year old fence timber which would have been treated.  As I don't know what was used, I don't want to put Copper, Chrome and Arsenic into the soil. 

It's amazing that the ash from a 50m long timber fence only half fills a black bucket

[gavinjconway]

NPK   Nitrogen  Phosphate  Potassium 

Potassium is potash = ash from you fires.. Top dress any fruiting plant for enhanced fruiting..

[Hose A]

I've read that wood ash as well as being a good top dressing for carrots is also a good organic repellent for many carrot pests including 'carrot fly' when diluted with water and sprinkled on a weekly basis. Check out the 'carrot museum' link below.


http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/cultivation2.html#carrot fly

[Jamrock]

It's amazing that the ash from a 50m long timber fence only half fills a black bucket

The rest of it is up in the sky 

[yogijiva]

can't quote my source, but I have heard that ash from pine is less good...

[gremlin]

It's amazing that the ash from a 50m long timber fence only half fills a black bucket

The rest of it is up in the sky 

Well, that's where came from in the first  place..... H2O and CO2