Ashes?

poorboy · Mar 26, 2002

A little late in the year to be thinking about for any use but are wood ashes a base or an acid. I suspect that they are an acid. What are people using these for? If an acid would they be good for the blue berry bushes? What about ph after burning brush piles? Just something I was thinking about.

Thanks,
Patrick

By the way how many Patrick's are there here?

PhilNH5 · Mar 26, 2002

Patrick,
They are very basic. In pioneering days they were soaked in water to get lye which was then mixed with fat to get soap.

Directly they would be very bad for acid loving plants such as blueberries. You can compost them or even add to a garden bed. Ashes contain potassium and posphorous. But use sparingly. To much is bad. Hard to say how much is to much. I am sure there is a "rule" somewhere but I can't find a ready reference

I compost some of my ashes. But most of them I use on my icy driveway for traction. This was a mild winter so I wound up just dumping a lot out back. Only after a week in an airtight container to be sure they were out.

Phil

Boondox · Mar 26, 2002

Basic. Very basic. I toss mine in the snow over my culvert ends. The dark snow melts first and keeps the culvert open for meltdown.

Pete

MossRoad · Mar 26, 2002

<font color=blue>Only after a week in an airtight container to be sure they were out</font color=blue>

Boy, you got that right! Have you been reading about those fires out west? Last I heard, 30 houses and 1600 acres destroyed by a fire that started from ashes discarded from a homeowners woodburning stove or fireplace.

PhilNH5 · Mar 26, 2002

Patrick,
I found a reference for application rates.
Rodale's Chemical Free Yard and Garden. 1991 Rodale Press (1995 Random House) Pgs 79-81.

Wood ash contains 20 to 50% calcium carbonate (lime), 3-7% potash and 8-20% phosphorous. They to caution against overuse. Apply at 25 pounds per 1,000 sq feet and only do this every 2 or 3 years. This is because to much potassium will screw up your mineral balance and prevent the uptake of other trace elements.

Hope this helps.
Phil

RanchMan · Mar 26, 2002

Hmmm - could you use them to stiffen up sections of a dirt road? I know it would take a lot, but just thinking out loud...

Thomas · Mar 27, 2002

I spread the ashes right down my driveway..does help on traction,also on the lawn to keep the moles aways.

Youare · Mar 27, 2002

I had heard long ago that grass likes wood ashes. When we have snow cover I sperad my wood ashes in the pasture where I keep my horse. The dark color melts the snow and helps keep the ice from being a slipping hazard to the horse.

The grass grows well where the ashes have been. The snow cover keeps them from burning the grass, not heat but strength.

Randy

Egon · Mar 27, 2002

The ashes raise soil PH and also contribute minerals to the soil as a previous post has mentioned.
My Grandmother used to use ashes on onions to keep the magots away.

Egon