The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: welshboy on May 19, 2010, 05:42:35 pm

Title: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: welshboy on May 19, 2010, 05:42:35 pm

This year we laid a hedge which was shading our garden area ( part of a field) in the morning. There was a lot of stuff to burn which was heaped up in the centre of the garden and burn't there. The result was a lot of ash and charcoal residue which was ploughed in and rotovated.
As it happens two rows of broad beans now pass through what was the bonfire area.
The interesting thing is that you can see the effect on the growth of the plants. Uniform size along the rows then much bigger on the periphery of the fire returning to normal size again.
Can anybody shed a light on the nutrient effect ?

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: JD on May 19, 2010, 08:31:57 pm

Hi Welshboy, wood ash contains potassium and smaller amounts of phosphate which explains the difference in plant sizes.
JD

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: valr on May 19, 2010, 09:05:28 pm

This is good news because I just dumped all the ash from my garden wood burner thingy on the compost heap!   What with that and the chicken poo it will be FAB! :farmer: ;D

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: Hermit on May 26, 2010, 03:05:53 pm

It is good I put mine as a mulch around trees as mine has nails in.If you put ash on the compost mix it in well as it goes mouldy and slimey.

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: Wizard on May 26, 2010, 05:25:53 pm

Its not a good idea to put your valuable potash in the composter.Spread it where you want it and rake it in :farmer: :wave:

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: valr on May 26, 2010, 11:01:42 pm

oh dear - too late!

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: Wizard on May 27, 2010, 07:39:27 am

Ni mind eh! You can always have another fire.Hawthorn fire ash was much prized in yester year when the bonfire had gone out ti was shoveled up and sacked up and shared out preferably before it got wet. :farmer:

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: valr on May 27, 2010, 10:28:07 pm

Interesting. George.
No doubt we will have a few more fires before the summer is out!
So its best just to use as mulch? Any particular plants that appreciate it??

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: Wizard on May 28, 2010, 07:34:33 am

Hello agen Vair.Most flowers like it although I think there is only one good flower in my mind and thats a cauliflower and its not much wi out a goodly coverin of cheese sauce Things like tomato's like it These expensive sprays (Phostogen and Miracle gro ) are rich in potash Potash is a name which was given to burning of wood in large iron pots and the white residue scraped off and bagged and sold hence the name potash although it should be used sparingly if you mulch with it.Does this help Vair? :D :farmer: :wave:

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: Greenerlife on May 28, 2010, 12:40:35 pm

I put it on my raspberries - definitely to good effect if that helps?  Most of the debris from my woodburner goes on the garden somehow.

Title: Re: Wood Ash Effect
Post by: valr on May 28, 2010, 10:15:11 pm

yes, thanks guys! :farmer: :wave: