Soot for sweetening

[landimad]

Does anyone else use soot for sweetening up their soil, or is it an old mans tale that my father told me years ago?
I have used this to help some areas of soil to improve the structure and reduce the acidity. to which I have had a limited success.
Any other ideas would be welcome on this point. ;) ;) ;)

[landimad]

[THE MASTER]

compost it down first

[Ishard]

Fresh soot is classed as 'hot' and so will burn plants if you don't leave it a year or so.
It is also very acidic and may change the pH of your soil too much. Besides it can contain many toxins dependant on the coal used to produce it.

Soot can be used to condition clay soil, and to keep slugs away if used in a ring around the plant.

You very rarely see soot being used these days as the benefits can be gained by other things.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Not many people still have coal fires either these days.

[Jokerman]

What about coal?

[Robert_Brenchley]

You produce soot by burning coal and then brushing it out of the chimney.

[Digeroo]

I thought ash was better in garden than soot.  When I burn logs I collect it.  No toxic problems. 

[the-goodlife]

i use soot all the time, the bit i put some on last year where my spuds where had no little wire worm even slugs did not like it, let it stand for  couple of years though before putting on the garden

[Jokerman]

I have a coal house full of coal that I'll never use... would it be ok to grind it up and mix with the soil?  :(

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's got all sorts of hydrocarbons and stuff in it; coal tips are seriously polluting. I wouldn't advise it! The amount of work involved in grinding a load of coal might be rather extreme as well.

[davyw1]

I have a coal house full of coal that I'll never use... would it be ok to grind it up and mix with the soil?  :(

Keep the coal and find a Parkray/ Arga fire/stove and of course chimny to go with it, then you can sweep the chimny to get the soot also garden shed heating problem solved. you can even out in a heating system.

[the-goodlife]

I have a coal house full of coal that I'll never use... would it be ok to grind it up and mix with the soil?  :(

sell it on ebay dude or find a steam engine for the lottie with a genni on it, mmmmmmmmmmm got me thinking now

[Jokerman]

yeh... have to do something....

probably me being thick, but just thought that because it's derived from plants.... maybe it would give something back......    ???