Topic: fire ash

[mark45]

hi after our bonfire last night we left with a load of ash, i was told to take it to the allotment and dig it in.is this good for the ground or not ?

mark

[Lauren S]

Hi Mark,
I have bagged mine up and I'm keeping it dry to use on the plot next year.

If you use *search* and type in wood ash you will see many threads on this topic. Very useful info to be read.

Lauren  :)

[cornykev]

It all depends what was on your bonfire.  ;D ;D ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Assuming it's fairly clean wood ash, keep it dry, and put it on your plants once they're growing well next year. If you put it on the soil now, most of the goodness will leach out long before the plants are able to use it.

[mark45]

very helpfull thanks guys will bag it for next year

thanks again

mark

[sawfish]

remember though ash will make clay soil even stickier, not more open like most people think.

[Paulines7]

Not good for potatoes though as it encourages scab.

[PJW_Letchworth]

I've used wood ash from a log burning stove this year on my plot.  It was only wood though, oak if I remember correctly.  It is good for getting rid of things like eelworm and wireworm from your potatoes but be very careful with the amount you put on your potato bed or you will get scabby spuds.  It's also good for putting around plants that are potash hungry, such as gooseberries.  Carol Klein featured it in one of her programmes last year.  Have a search for her and see what you get.

[manicscousers]

so fed up, started off burning lots of old pallet wood and someone has added plastic cups and plastic wrap to the fire, useless !!  :-\

[springs]

I put all of mine into the cold frame, Its about one foot deep. Then i plant up with carrots. Just plant  straight into it.( Nice carrots and clean)

[1066]

I put all of mine into the cold frame, Its about one foot deep. Then i plant up with carrots. Just plant  straight into it.( Nice carrots and clean)

Thanks for that - what a great idea! Now I can try and grow carrots - there wasn't much point in trying to do so on the clay based plot of mine.
Thanks again for the tip
1066