On 20/11/2012 08:57, David Hill wrote:
On 19/11/2012 22:35, Spider wrote:
On 19/11/2012 21:23, shazzbat wrote:
"Dave wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:51:23 -0000, Wally wrote:

I have just swept my chimney and have a rather large bag of soot.

Soot from burning coal or wood?

Coal soot is likely to have quite high concentrations of heavy
metals so
I'd be wary of using it on the veg patch.

Other than that others may have better knowledge, it's mostly carbon so
not exactly a plant nutrient but may help condition the soil.


The idea of soot being good for the garden was an invention by chimney
sweeps to solve their disposal problem.

Steve





I'm not so sure. When I was little, there was always a heap of soot
down at the allotments where my father's plots were. I know my father
used it knowledgeably, as did other plot holders. I can't remember
whether it was to help blanch celery, or to deal with fungal diseases,
or something else. It was certainly valued. I wish he were still alive
to ask.


One use for fresh soot was to put around young plants; taking cane not
to get to close to them; then when slugs tried to cross it they were
killed. That was before slug pellets.
We always used it on freshly dug ground over the winter.


Yes, David and Sacha, I seem to remember him mentioning that, but I
don't think it was his primary use. He really knew what he was doing
and was glad to use it. I think he missed it when central heating
became the norm.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay