In article ,
songbird wrote:

i have some wood ashes available and have
been reading up on the best ways to use them.

i'd be interested in hearing from people
who use them and experiences or cautions.

what i have read so far says to not
overdo it keeping the application rate
for one time shot at 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
they won't be in direct contact with
plants at all, i'm mixing them in some
shredded bark/wood and then putting
several inches of heavy soil over them.

i can put plenty more down deeper if it
would really help the soil conditions and
nutrients, but i also don't want to waste
them.

thanks!


songbird

As we all know, Potassium (potash) is necessary for the development of
chlorophyll, that almost magical substance in green plants that
makes the miracle of photosynthesis possible. Potassium also
strengthens plant tissue and makes plants more disease resistant.
Plants that receive too little potassium look stunted. Potassium
washes out of compost quite easily. You can restore it to the garden by
adding wood ashes, greensand, or muriate of potash.

The late Bernard G. Wesenberg, a former Washington State University
Extension horticulturist, recommended using one gallon of ashes per
square yard on loam to clay-loam soil, and half as much on sandier soils.

If you are top dressing the lawn or flowerbeds use only about 1/4 to 1/2
inch of ashes per year.

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Welcome to the New America.
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