Kae Verens wrote in message ...
simy1 wrote:
anita kean wrote in message ...

On 21 Sep 2003 08:12:51 -0700, simy1 wrote:
Here is my opinion: the pH of ash is 10.4. Nothing will grow in it. I
have seen at my own place that the pH of soil is affected by how close
one is to the concrete driveway (concrete is in part lime). One foot

And not all plants tolerate even a small amount of ash either.
Last year I put a small handful around some tomato plants that
were about 3 foot tall and very healthy. I lost every one of
them, and the undressed ones thrived. Boohoo. Not again.

You may have alkaline soil to start with. And at any rate I always
spread it one month or more before growing, typically in march at the
end of wood stove season. In my acid soil, I find that wood ash helps
all the veggies who like a pH close to 7 (beets, cabbage, lettuce,
onion), and it also improves the flavor of tomatoes.

do any of you have a non-complex method to measure pH? By non-complex, I
mean, a method that can be improvised using common garden materials (I'm
a "back to basics" kinda guy)

Kae

There is always the weed method. If you have curly dock, dandelion,
sorrel or sheep sorrel, you have acid soil. Can't remember which weeds
thrive in alkaline soil. But don't worry, if you dump all that wood
ash on your garden, it will be as alkaline as an alkali flat in the
Western US.