[Novice]

Here's a Q for you folks....
Last weekend, I burnt my HUGE pile of nettle roots and various other weeds, roots ( and some wood too )...and although it didn't all burn away ( I intend to compost the left overs ) what do I do with the big pile of ash which is left ? Can I dig it straight in, or does it also go in the compost bins.
Good news...got my onions in on Friday, it's starting to look like a proper allotment now, and my Father in Law gave me his "zip-up plastic greenhouse" so that will come in handy.
Picked up my chitted potatoes from Father-in-Law too - I'd forgtotten quite how many I'd got !! So they'll go in this Friday hopefully.
Altogether quite exciting, would anyone be interested in seeing pics of how the plot is developing ?

[Jake]

I would like to see some pics of your plot. The pics are my favourite part of this site. Must be my short attention span.

My wife works in environmental health and she says that ash leads to a build up of hydrocarbons in the soil which are bad for you. Can anyone else comment?

I've got 3 days off this week to do the allotment. I really can't concentrate at work, I want to be out there.

[Heather_S]

I would have thought you'd have to be burning coal to get hydrocarbons ... I don't think it'd be any problem as long as you're not pouring accelerant on your bonfire to get it going - it should go up easily with just a bit of old newspaper stuffed in any spaces.
Gardening and Bonfire Night "Fresh bonfire ashes contain useful nutrients. Principally this is potassium (potash) and lime, which encourage flowers and fruit, and can make the soil more alkaline. However, they are very soluble in water and easily lost, especially if the ashes are left in the rain. Always store cooled ash in a dry place until needed. "
So it's probably all washed away (oops).

[John]

ashes = potash great for tomatoes, potatoes and fruit bushes.

Burning unpainted, untreated wood is fine. Perhaps concern about hydrocarbons justified if a bonfire of old creosoted fence panels etc.

[Novice]

Thanks for the advice folks.
Now all I need is a few pointers how to get my pics onto the website......

[Jake]

A lot of the older guys around Bedfordshire compost soot from their and other peoples chimneys and dig this in to the ground.

After discussing with the OH it seems the pollution is caused by this as coal was likely burned in producing the soot.

Hope I didn't sound alarmist, good to have it cleared up

Pumpkins absorb this type of pollution apparently, just in case you'd like to know. Don't eat them though.

[John]

Well that drops the ball into my court! (Photos on the website) I've been playing about with enabling a photo gallery / diary system for users on this site but  it's a bit more complex than I first thought.

Mainly it's security issues - but one day, when I have time LOL

If you have your photographs hosted on the web, you can link to them through the forum as Twysted does.

You need to join something like  PHOTOBUCKET and then you post a link to your photographs page between IMG tags

I will get a better system together one day soonish, honest

[John]

A lot of the older guys around Bedfordshire compost soot from their and other peoples chimneys and dig this in to the ground.

After discussing with the OH it seems the pollution is caused by this as coal was likely burned in producing the soot.

Hope I didn't sound alarmist, good to have it cleared up

Pumpkins absorb this type of pollution apparently, just in case you'd like to know. Don't eat them though.

Soot from coal chimneys has been commonly used for many years - Victorian times - so I'm a bit surprised but thinking about it, arsenic (or strychnine?)  was commonly used as a pesticide.  And doctors used to prescribe 5 woodbines a day as a cure for asthma!

Live and learn.

[kooringa]

You can see photos of my plot on my www link below - take a look you might like it!

Would love to see more photos too.

I use photo bucket on other forums and it is easy.