Soot

[picman]

Way back I believe soot was used to fend off pests when planting potatoes, what method was used please , do I put some in the hole ? round the ridge ? and when .....

[picman]

[Unwashed]

I don't use it now because I worry about what nasty aromatic chemicals are in the soot, though I imagine my fear is misplaced, but when I used it I dug the planting trench, put dung at the bottom, and then a good sprinkling of soot on the dung.  I got great potatoes like that with none of the common scab I get on them now, and they were slug-free, but I grow Kestrel which are always slug-free.

[Robert_Brenchley]

The Victorians used to sprinkle it round lettuces etc to keep the slugs at bay. I've no idea whether it worked.

[picman]

Thanks I will give it a try on one row ....

[davyw1]

Personaly i would not use soot unless it has been weathered for at least a year. The soot you get these day will be from man made solid fuel full of chemicals and not natural mined coal that was  used in the past
When i used it it went between the rows it is good for stopping slugs as the slug being slimy the soot sticks to it and it becomes bogged down and dies

[picman]

Thanks Davy   The soot is from my son's chimney he burns logs and a little coal so should be ok.. 

[A Year On The Plot]

Hi Picman,

I'm sure you plant the soot around the seed/plant to keep the slugs and snails off as  the moisture is sucked from their 'foot' as the cross the soot.

I'm sure I read something a while ago that suggesting using soot around your onions.

Cheers

Richard

[Robert_Brenchley]

Coal soot will be just as full of chemicals. For that matter, wood soot will have plenty - it's made of chemicals after all - but at least wood smoke isn't obviously noxious.