Using Ash in a Garden?

Flatrock

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Anybody here ever throw ash from a firepit into their garden? We have been burning lots of dead limbs/trees and our firepit is about full of ash. I saw an article or 2 online where people said you can put ash into your garden and it's good for the soil. Just curious if that's a good idea and if anyone on here does that?
 


skywalker

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I add ash to my garden every winter from my fireplace. I do not know how much a person should add, but I add what would amount to about a 1/8 inch on top. I do have people that visit and ask how our tomato plants or cucumbers get so big. My only answer is the ash, as we don't add anything else but water and some sun.
 

Fly Carpin

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Ash adds much needed potassium and much needed in certain areas lime to your soil. But too much can be bad. If you can compost it first that’s the best, but adding relatively small quantities every year should be ok
 

Auggie

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Flatrock

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I should have mentioned the pH in our soil is around 6.5-7.0. Thanks fellas for the responses so far.
 


Flannel

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My dad has been doing this every since I can remember. When I was young I asked why he did that and all he said was "science"
Tomatoes and cucumbers are big and tasty though!
 

Lycanthrope

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Ash isnt bad in itself, but most plants like PH in the 6-7 range, Ash is very basic, so I wouldnt go overboard.
 

johnr

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I throw about 4 bags of pelitized lime on my lawn every spring, never have checked my soil Ph, but my lawn is sure spiffy.
 

Lycanthrope

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I throw about 4 bags of pelitized lime on my lawn every spring, never have checked my soil Ph, but my lawn is sure spiffy.
Are you using dolomite lime? Typically we dont need lime here but it probably doesnt hurt to put it on either. Might be worth having a soil test done and if you arent deficient in any of the chemical components in the lime you are using, its probably pointless to keep applying it.
 


Flatrock

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Thanks fellas for the replies.

- - - Updated - - -

Outside of blueberries, your pH is perfect.

Yea it sounds like those can be a SOB to get the pH right. Lycan got me onto honeyberries so I planted some of them last year. Sounds like those are a lot easier to grow.
 

johnr

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Are you using dolomite lime? Typically we dont need lime here but it probably doesnt hurt to put it on either. Might be worth having a soil test done and if you arent deficient in any of the chemical components in the lime you are using, its probably pointless to keep applying it.

Do your bee's not like a limy lawn?
 


kernel

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Ash is an alkali and can be adopted as an organic way of increasing the soil ph. Besides this, ash is known to add micro nutrients to the soil, consequently increasing the fertility of the garden.
 
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