I recently moved into a new house (new for me that is) and it's got solid fuel central heating. At the moment I've been letting the ashes cool then putting them in my dustbin but I had a thought.
My plot soil is on the clay side of loam & I wondered if digging cold ashes in would lighten the soil & improve drainage. I could soon get hold of a brewers bucket to hold the ashes in until they're ready for transport.
What does anybody think??? Anybody any other suggestions?????
Cheers
CC
When I was little, we visited family who lived in the country, and they had ash paths everywhere. I recall never seeing weeds (or anything) growing on these paths ...
This is what we did when I was in Cornwall. Just sling it on the paths. Alternatively, you can dig it in.
I have helped out in several urban back gardens since moving to derby and some of the best soils were clearly a mixture of the basic red marl and fire ashes.
;D
If it's wood ash, it will be great for garden or paths. Not sure about coal/coke ash.
But it would make great paths:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,15610.0
:)
Wood ash is great for fertiliser. Coal or coke ash is longer-lasting and will improve soil texture. It must often contain poisons, but they must wash out pretty quickly since we used it like mad in Cornwall, and I don't remember it harming anything at all.