"David (Normandy)" wrote in message
...

The story you read sounds as though it were found in a sensational red
top,
professional gardeners still recommend the use of leached soot and
leached ash.

Mary

I can't remember where I read it now. I guess it makes sense if it is left
out in the rain to allow the noxious salts to leach out before it is used
on the garden. The problem only exists with coal ash/soot and not wood
ash/soot of course. Coal can contain all manner of toxic minerals
including arsenic, mercury, cadmium etc

David.

But only in very small quantities. Supposing they were absorbed by plants -
it would be in even smaller quantities and we wouldn't eat all the plant
anyway ...

I always leave wood ash in the open and wouldn't use it until it's been
rained on, it contains very caustic salts which can burn flesh and plants
until they're converted to the hydrated version.

Mary