Can you use fireplace ashes

Dry wood is far more efficient and the sign of a good fire will be minimal ash in left afterwards. It also tends to be very water soluble, which can cause salts to build up in soils.

Never use wood ashes around acid-loving plants like azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons and blueberries. Dig it into soil about four weeks before you plan to plant anything. Compost is naturally acidic so wood ash is a great addition, plus it adds calcium. Lightly sprinkle a layer of ash as you build up green and brown layers. Be careful to just sprinkle it though — too much will ruin it. Hey Mr. Green gets hot on the trail.

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Today, after a cozy winter fire, or use of a wood stove or backyard fire pit, we can collect the wood ash on a more leisurely basis, and put it to excellent use. Keep ash in a tightly lidded metal container. We may not burn as much firewood as we used to, but ash is still a great raw resource with a variety of benefits and uses around the home.

Here are 8 ways you can use fireplace ashes around your home and garden. Start by getting your lawn or garden soil tested to determine its pH. Most lawn and garden soil does well at a pH level between 6. Certain plants, including some flowers and vegetables, thrive at different soil pH levels. Since plant roots are inefficient at absorbing calcium and potassium from the soil itself , if your garden contains too acidic soil which is low in those nutrients , you should amend it to promote healthy vegetable production in those plants.

Wood ash is also made up of other nutrients in smaller amounts, including aluminum, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. Some plants, such as alfalfa, hay, and corn, remove nutrients from the soil, and amendments or crop rotations are used to reintroduce them. Wood ash can provide those nutrients if needed.

Check your plant and soil needs before arbitrarily adding wood ash around your property. And adding loads of wood ash in any one spot is never a good thing. As always, use proper eye, face, and skin protection during application. A sprinkle of wood ashes can be added to your outdoor compost pile or indoor compost bin as one component of your household waste.