[jambop]

Hi I burn a couple of wood burning stoves down here and therefore have a lot of wood ash. The ash comes mainly from seasoned Oak wood and I get lots of it. Now I have heard that wood ashes are good in the garden but the real question is how much should be used and what crops would like it most? I would think that  crops that require a flower to be present to get a fruit would be a good bet ? So things like tomatoes and  courgettes might benefit but what else and what is regarded as a normal rate of dosage ?

[AussieInFrance]

Hi Jambop

General covering of spade-ful per square metre. Avoid adding if you have alkaline soil ie limestone, such as i have here. Not sure what soil is like in your area.

[jambop]

Hi Aussie happy new-year don't know what it is like over by but it has been blooming freezing here since well before Christmas ! The soil here is quite good if a little silty which I am trying to improve with compost and farm manure but the soil is quite good and fertile. The problem for me is the fact that it is so fine. It is fantastic to work when the moisture level is ideal but when a bit wet it is a bit like melted chocolate and sticks to your boots something awful you return to the house three inches taller than you left 

[Aled]

I add in quite a lot of wood ash over the winter. But my soil is acidic.
Cheers
Aled

[JayG]

Wood ashes are a good source of calcium and potassium, and other trace elements too.

Because it's quite alkaline it shouldn't be used where you are growing potatoes as it increases the chances of getting scab, and is obviously a no-no for ericaceous plants such as blueberries.

Most veg do well at a pH of around 7 or slightly less (neutral to very slightly acidic) so you really need to test your soil to find out whether you can add a lot, a little, or possibly none at all. Chemical test kits are a bit faffy but more reliable than most probe pH meters.

[Blewit]

Most veg do well at a pH of around 7 or slightly less (neutral to very slightly acidic) so you really need to test your soil to find out whether you can add a lot, a little, or possibly none at all. Chemical test kits are a bit faffy but more reliable than most probe pH meters.

I've got a probe meter that's definitely not reliable, it can be made to jump all over the place by wiggling it in the soil. Perhaps interesting too, for anyone who's not used a test kit before that pH works on a logarithmic scale of ten. That is to say 6 is ten times more acidic than 7
5 is ten times more acidic than 6 which makes it 100 times more acidic than 7 (10 x 10)
and follows that 4 is 1000 times more acidic than 7 (10 x 10 x 10)

[Aled]

You've just reminded me, I have a soil ph testing kit which I need to use for the reasons outlined.
Cheers
Aled

[strangerachael]

onions etc seem to like it, strawberries don't. Those are the only things I've used it on...

[unclebulgaria]

Hi, I have two wood burning stoves and use wood ash as a general fertiliser all over the garden in moderate quantities, simply scattered on top over the winter and then lightly forked in. Its a good source of potash and trace nutrients as JayG mentioned so particularly good for tomatoes. I also use it around soft fruit bushes in the spring as a mulch, a spade full at a time, especially good for gooseberry's I believe.

[Yorkie]

One thing to bear in mind about wood ash is that it is very soluble, so don't scatter it on bare ground as it will be quickly washed through and have no impact.  If you have room to store it so that it remains dry, save it until the plants would benefit.

[moose]

I know someone who thought it was good for strawberries. There was still a lot of straw around them and the wood ash was still hot. Anyone else like grilled strawberries?

[Aled]

I've added some to my compost bin, so it will be used up there.
Cheers
Aled

[Ivor Backache]

I have always believed that wood ash needs to 'weather' in a bag for six months and then use it when required.
Mine is used when onions start to bulk up. I have just enough for a thin covering, so I rarely overdo it.