"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 10:50:29 +0000 (UTC), " Jeanne Stockdale"
wrote:

We have just had our chimney swept (real coal fire, not smokeless fuel)
and
the sweep has left us a bag of soot.

Is there any way this can be used on the garden?

Jeanne

Although widely used as a soil additive and fertiliser in the past
(note the publication dates on the handbooks mentioned elsewhere in
this thread), ISTR that coal soot can/does contain heavy metal
residues, so perhaps you should keep it away from your veggies.


My dad used to say that it didn't do the garden much good, but it didn't do
much harm either. He was adamant that the practice of putting it on the
garden was a get-out for chimney sweeps so they didn't have to bother with
its disposal. They would say "want the soot for yer garden missis?" and
people would think he was doing them a favour.


Steve