Ash can be extremely beneficial to your plants if used correctly. It is important that it is made of pure wood, and it contains numerous minerals and is particularly rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and phosphorus.
Tip: Before adding anything to your soil, do a soil test to determine your soil needs.
FREE and easy: Do your own soil type ANALYSIS at home
Ashes in the garden
Wood ash is rich in calcium carbonate (lime), excellent for reducing soil acidity. It is an excellent substitute for commercial lime, which has a high carbon footprint.
Soils in areas with heavy rainfall tend to be more acidic than soils in drier regions, so wood ash could be a good addition to the garden in rainy regions. However, if you do a pH test and find that your soil is too alkaline, skip it.
It can help with soil structure and porosity, allowing water to reach the roots more easily. Take a handful of moistened garden soil and test it. If it falls apart right away, your soil is too sandy. If it forms a hard ball, it is too clayey. Wood ash can help break up clay soil.
Healthy soil is rich in carbon, and wood ash returns organic carbon to the soil. This means that wood ash also plays a role in carbon sequestration that isn’t huge at the level of a backyard garden, but every bit helps.
Rich in nutrients
In addition to calcium, ash also contains potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and trace amounts of other elements, all of which are essential nutrients needed by plants.
Potassium, calcium and magnesium are extremely soluble in water, so their effect on the soil is faster than other elements. However, wood ash lacks significant amounts of nitrogen. Adding human urine makes it almost a complete fertilizer.
Pest control
Wood ash has been shown to be effective in controlling a wide range of garden pests — from slugs to beetles — as a diluted foliar solution and as a powder. In laboratory conditions, for example, it has been shown to be very effective against weevils.
However, don’t expect such great results in real-world conditions. Wood ash in the garden is much less effective when wet and easily blown away when dry.
How to use ash
What is the best way to use it? Mix it into your compost pile, especially if the compost is rich in plant matter, as the ash will reduce its acidity. Be sure to mix it well and use it only occasionally. The ash is fine-grained, so when it is wet, it can form a protective layer, reducing the level of aeration necessary for decomposition.
If you want to apply it directly to your garden, collect it in a fireproof container during the winter and then apply it to your soil during late winter or early spring. Before applying, check that there are no hot embers.
Sieve the wood ash to remove any large pieces. Wear gloves, long sleeves, eye protection and a dust mask, as the alkalinity of the ash can irritate the skin, eyes and lungs.
Apply ash around existing plants, such as trees or perennials, by mixing it into any mulch you may be placing around your plants. Avoid applying ash directly to plants, as the lye and salts in it can burn the leaves.
If you are starting a new, unplanted garden, apply half a kg to 1 kg of ash per 10 m2. Do not apply wood ash on a windy day or before a rainstorm, as the ash will easily blow away or wash away.
Apply it to moist soil so that it stays in place and begins to release nutrients. A layer of wet ash on top of the soil will slow down the penetration of air and water into the soil. Gently work the ashes into the soil with a garden rake or fork, tilling the soil as little as possible.
12 uses of ASH: useful for the chicken coop, in the house and in the garden!
Ash-loving plants:
Beans, strawberries and stone fruits.
Luke believed.
Root vegetables such as carrots, beets and beets.
Lettuce, Swiss chard, spinach and rocket.
Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.
Lavender, basil, sage, and many other herbs.
Plants that don’t like it:
Apple, peach and pear trees.
Sweet corn, pepper, eggplant, parsley, sweet potato.
Potatoes.
Blueberries, raspberries and most other berries.
Roses, azaleas, rhododendrons and hydrangeas.
Birch trees, red maples and oaks.
Source: Tree Hugger
Source: www.agromedia.rs
