"peterlsutton" wrote in message
...

"r.bartlett" wrote in message
news
hi guy's

I had several large bonfire which leaves me with a big pile of ash
is this any good on the garden or should I bin it?
cheers
richard

I have no knowledge of botany or horticulture but logic says that when a
tree or plant grows it draws carbon, oxygen, hygrogen and nitrogen from
the
air. But the air does not contain any of the other trace elements needed.
So these must be drawn up from the soil.

When you have a bonfire you are returning the carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and
possibly nitrogen to the air as carbon dioxide and water vapour, but not
the
trace elements. So your ash consists of some unburnt carbon (as charcoal)
but the rest is all the trace elements that came from the soil. So really
it must be returned, otherwise you are depleting the soil.

Is that right?
____________________________
Quite correct though you have over estimated the gases.
Best Wishes Brian.














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