Hi all,
I have been offered a quantity of "coal ashes" for my allotment. The donor seems to think they would be good for spuds in some way.
I thought they might be a slug repellent or maybe as a floor for my potting shed but having read posts about wood ash and coal soot I doubt wether it would be worth my efforts to transport them on my bike trailer.
Does anyone have any Thoughts?
Thanks, Col
OK as a floor or a path -see paths thread. Personally I wouldn't put them on anything I'm going to eat though.
Don't like the idea of soot either.
Jeremy
Hi Col, If its coal ashes as in with the clinker and coke etc in it I personally wouldnt bother .But if its from smokeless fuel it tends to be a lot finer and no clinker or cokes in it .Then this is ok if left a bit to weather .It will help break your soil down if it is clay etc. Also good for carrots and root crops ... But let it stand a while out side before You use it...cheers ..Jim
Thanks for the replies :D
It seems, as I first thought, that its not really worth the effort of moving the stuff around.
Col
It's good for paths but not much else.
Hi Columbus,
Sorry about replying so late but I have only just found an old veg growing book, coal ashes are used at a rate of 6 to 10lbs per rod and is a winter rather than a spring fertiliser and is very slow in action, so tends to benifit next seasons crops.
MikeB
Wood ash seems to work well as a slug repellant & is useful for some nutrients, but I've always been advised not to use coal ash on the soil. I don't even use the ash when I've been burning the past it sleepers as they still have tar and such like in them ( and smell bad when burning) which is likely to still be present in the ash.