• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • paul wheaton
  • Anne Miller
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • Jay Angler
stewards:
  • r ransom
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Tereza Okava
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • M Ljin
  • Megan Palmer
  • Kate Downham

Uses for Wood Ash

 
pollinator
Posts: 489
Location: zone 5-5
169
  • Likes 7
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I heat and cook with wood so have a bunch of ash to deal with.
Last winter it was getting dumped near the railroad tracks to keep weeds from growing in the rocks where I can't mow.
If there are no weeds, they lift the sprayer arms and go right past without spraying.

In years past it got thrown in an evergrowing pile.
This year that pile is getting put on garden paths.
I pulled the weeds and grasses in the paths, dug it down and put the soil on the nearest garden beds,
then piled about 3" of ash, which was covered by about 4 more inches of wood chips.
Plan is to stop using carboard to reduce weeds in the paths.

I have used it to keep the ice in front of the house from being so slippery and noticed it killed the grass come spring.
So maybe it can be used to kill weeds by the tracks and in my garden paths.
 
Posts: 413
Location: rural West Virginia
93
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
but Craig, aren't you worried about the pH skyrocketing in the adjacent beds?
 
Mary Cook
Posts: 413
Location: rural West Virginia
93
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Useful info, Zeth, thank you. I note that all those elements are things my soil is rich in, according to tests--the only things it tested low in were sodium and sulfur, not on your list. So maybe I shouldn't much dump it in my gardens, although one thing you didn't mention is its way of raising pH.
 
I knew I would regret that burrito. But this tiny ad has never caused regrets:
A rocket mass heater heats your home with one tenth the wood of a conventional wood stove
http://woodheat.net
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic