SouthernSooner
Bronze Member
Hi folks, the previous owner of my property created a pretty large brush pile in a ditch that feeds my pond. If I burn the brush, will the ash have adverse effects on my pond and fish?
Brush pile near pond
- Thread starter SouthernSooner
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davesl708
Elite Member
It will add a lot of nitrogen to the water as it runs off. This will feed the algae.
smstonypoint
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Test the PH of the water. Wood ash can quickly raise the PH. If the PH changes too quickly you could have a fish kill. Low acidity can also allow alge growth as has been pointed out. Don't confuse alge with phytoplankton which is something you want in your pond as it is the base of the food chain. A reading of 7 is neutral and what you want. If your pond is acidic then the ash could have a benefit if there isn't too much of it.
Sodo
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If you aren't sure about it, you could burn the pile then move the ash out of the ditch. How big is the pile, and what eqpt do you have was not specified. Sometimes where a brushpile is, I've decided I don't want to kill the ground there so I move it. I've been surprised sometimes when they push easily. Maybe you can wrap a chain around it and roll it out of the ditch.
davesl708
Elite Member
When you burn plant matter the nitrogen stored in the plant is released quickly back into the soil. This is the reason prairie grass is burned. To release the nitrogen to promote faster grass growth. Fast cheap fertilizer.
When plants decay naturally the release is gradual.
OP
SouthernSooner
Bronze Member
As of now, moving it is not an option. I have a tractor with FEL, but no grapple. The ditch is about 40 feet long, six feet wide and about 2-5 feet deep. It's a major eye sore and I've been trying to clean up this property. It may have wait until I get a grapple.
EverythingAttachments
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OP
SouthernSooner
Bronze Member
Oh trust me - I've seen your vids and want one really bad! I'm a pay as you go guy, so right now, Momma has other priorities. Lol.
Sodo
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Well I can see that my suggestion may or may not apply to this. Pics usually generate better responses.
Nice place. That trash would bug me too. I have found that burning SMALL brush piles, the grass can grow back greener than surrounding area (Dave's Nitrogen note). Big brush piles (where I kept piling on more as it burned down) are still barren spots after 3-4 years. Your piles look big but I can't guess if they'd burn hot enough to kill the ground. If I had your ditch I would not want to kill the ground.
I bet you could pull those out with a strong rope or chain and burn it in one spot out of the ditch. Not much fun though, but an hour a day for a week and you'd be pretty far along if not done.
I'd try dragging clumps out and see how it goes. I have this brushfork, thus can deal with brush OK. I would love a grapple and may build one (not a real grapple just a hand on top for brush carrying).
Nice place. That trash would bug me too. I have found that burning SMALL brush piles, the grass can grow back greener than surrounding area (Dave's Nitrogen note). Big brush piles (where I kept piling on more as it burned down) are still barren spots after 3-4 years. Your piles look big but I can't guess if they'd burn hot enough to kill the ground. If I had your ditch I would not want to kill the ground.
I bet you could pull those out with a strong rope or chain and burn it in one spot out of the ditch. Not much fun though, but an hour a day for a week and you'd be pretty far along if not done.
I'd try dragging clumps out and see how it goes. I have this brushfork, thus can deal with brush OK. I would love a grapple and may build one (not a real grapple just a hand on top for brush carrying).
