[hogwarden]

  I have two large bags of wood ash and wonder where it`s best used.
I read peas like some, do beans and what else -i assume a small sprinkling as a dressing is about right when preparing the seed bed.--so where/how to use for best effect as I don`t want to store the bags for ever!!-also have a 2-Y-O bag of smokeless fuel chimney soot, same Q`s then or is it best disposed of down the tip??

[bigben]

My neighbour on the allotment uses his wood ash on his onions - he growns hundreds of them. Spuds also need potash so they might benefit from a bit in the trench as they are planted or scattered on top. I dont know about chimney soot.

[Aunt Sally]

Well weathered soot (not fresh stuff) is a very good slug deterrent around susceptible plants.

[Cavolo Nero]

After pruning my raspberry canes and burning them, I scattered the ashes back down the rows - thats one of John's tips!

[Hobnails]

All alliums like a sprinkling of wood ash - overwintering onions and autumn planted garlic especially as well as remaining leeks. Just don't put down too much or it becomes claggy
and sticky in the ground.

a light dusting betenned layers of the compost heap is also a good use for wood ash.
make sure it is only wood ash and not coal or coke.

As for soot, I've seen folk use this in celery trenches and around beds as a slug deterrent, but have not used it this way myself.

[Trikidiki]

I thought wood ash would be to alkaline for potatoes.

Good for long standing crops like autumn garlic according to the RHS.

[solway cropper]

Like Triki, I wouldn't use it near spuds but the alkaline content wouldn't do your brassicas any harm. And aliums as well, as others have said.