[Carollan]

I wasn`t sure where to put this post.If you have a bonfire,with all sorts of dried dead plant matter,grass clumps etc,does it do damage to the soil beneath or give it goodness from the charcoal and fire dust? Hubby lit one tonight,it really burned well,and I wondered what good/bad a bonfire does.
Thankyou ,all you pyromaniacs !!

[viettaclark]

I scrape up all the ash and put it in the compost.
The space where the actual fire bed is seems to be sterile for a while (probably the direct heat kills off everything) but plants soon grow VERY vigorously round the edge.

[Growster...]

Bonfire ash is great stuff for the plot.

Also, it hangs around longer than you think, and is a good soil conditioner!

Do as Vietta says, and you've just reminded me to go and get a barrow load from the churchyard bonfire behind Growster Turrets.

[arugula]

Yes, straight on the ground or in the compost, its great stuff!

[sion01]

If you burn on the soilall the humus is burnt too hence the soil being sterile for a while.put plenty of organic matter on the patch and any ill effects will be short lived( well rotted organic matter if possible)