You can collect the ashes left in the fireplace or wood burning stoves and use them for gardening . With advice from gardenerknowhow , find out how to apply ashes to enrich the soil .
Choose the right type of ash
To enrich the garden soil , use ashes from untreated and unpainted wood . If you use other combustion plants , choose those that are dry and neutral, which can provide non-toxic substances to the plants. And avoid using burnt plastics which give off volatile gases that are harmful to humans.
How to collect them?
Wait for the fire to cool down. You can scatter the debris to make them go out quickly. Then, you filter the finer powders of the cinders in order to sort out the larger pieces (poorly consumed coal, remains of non-calcined wood, etc.) which are not good for the plants. You can store the embers in a cool place and avoid soaking them with water, otherwise you will be dealing with an unusable substance.
Ash application period
The best time of year to enrich the soil with ash is in spring or fall. You can scatter a few strawberries sufficiently in the beds. To do this, gently scrape the ground to allow some charcoal debris to bury.
The materials brought by the ashes
The ashes in the garden contribute to the enrichment of the soil with mineral salts . This enrichment is very small, but depends on the amount of wood used as heating fuel. Among the materials added are calcium (20 to 50%), magnesium , phosphorus , potassium and silica. If you have heather soil plants on the beds, avoid not using the debris too much because of the calcium content.
The benefits of wood ash in the garden
Knowing the substances that make up the debris of charcoal. By applying it regularly to the plants, they could benefit by using it wisely. Among these numerous properties:
– one can take advantage of the presence of calcium to add a basic mixture and correct the acidity of the soil;
– it promotes the development and flowering of certain fruit trees ;
– it can be used as a repellent for certain types of insects;
– it can be transformed into milk of lime in order to fatten an area of fruit growing.
The benefits of using ashes on plants
The ashes consist mainly of calcium, the rest is combined in a tiny part. With this majority proportion, the ashes can changes. For example, to facilitate the metabolism of plants, it suffices to work with trace elements such as silica, which contribute to the biological balance of plants. The other substances consist of phosphorus which contributes enormously in photosynthesis .
Precautions to be taken before use
If you plan to use it regularly, bring gloves, as the ashes have caustic properties. You can take the necessary precautions, avoid excessive use, ie 100 g/m² and two large handfuls per year. Finally, you should never use it for acidophilic plants and soils rich in calcium.