"H Ryder" wrote in message
...
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open
fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

Adding wood ash makes your soil more alkaline...if that helps you.

I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

"H Ryder" wrote in message
...
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open
fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,

Every year I have to have an ENORMOUS bpnfire and as far as I can tell the
ash has caused no harm, maybe even helped.

Alan


--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

"H Ryder" wrote in message
...
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open
fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)


This link gives just about everything you need to know. It would appear that
on your soil (alkaline clay) it could do more harm than good
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/woodash.html

I would be inclined to use it within a composting system which often run on
the acid side.

"H Ryder" wrote in message
...
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow:
potatoes; beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year.
We have an open fire which we use fire lighters to light but then
just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,


Wood ash* contains around 6% potash and thus is useful for flower
formation. Flowers on beans, flowers on tomatoes etc. Although
again quite how potash promotes flowering is a mystery**.
Wood ash is also high in lime. Which is nice, or maybe not if
you're already on alkaline soil. The best soil test in any
case being the actual results at the end of the season.


michael adams



* 6% according to one source. ISTR different species of wood produce
different figures. But wood ash is definitely a "good thing".

** ISTR reading its effectiveness in this regard is based on the results
of deficiency trials. i.e. No potash - no flowers.




--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

H Ryder wrote in message
...
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open
fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

H Ryder wrote in message
...
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open
fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)


Hi Hayley,

Sorry for the false start - finger trouble!

The use of wood ash doesn't worry me, especially as it can have the winter
to break down. I would be more concerned about the fire lighters you used
which may have contaminated it. I don't use firelighters and don't pretend
to be knowledgeable about them, but I can't imagine many accelerants being
good for the garden generally and food crops specifically. Have a look at
the packaging - if you still have it - and see which chemical is named. I
dare say someone on this ng (not me) will be able to advise you, given
fuller information.

Spider

"Spider" wrote in message
...

H Ryder wrote in message
...
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open
fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)


Hi Hayley,

Sorry for the false start - finger trouble!

The use of wood ash doesn't worry me, especially as it can have the
winter
to break down. I would be more concerned about the fire lighters you used
which may have contaminated it. I don't use firelighters and don't
pretend
to be knowledgeable about them, but I can't imagine many accelerants being
good for the garden generally and food crops specifically. Have a look at
the packaging - if you still have it - and see which chemical is named. I
dare say someone on this ng (not me) will be able to advise you, given
fuller information.

Spider

I think that most, if not all, firelighters would not contaminate the wood
ash although some of the chemicals in them might cause air pollution.
BBQ firelighters do not contaminate the food so I suppose the smoke from
them is totally harmless.

I would be much more concerned about the residues in the ash which come from
other things that might be burnt, such as plastics, but even then the main
pollutant would go up the flue and not remain in the ash.

"H Ryder" wrote in message
...
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open
fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,


Well it worked brilliantly round my apple tree - best crop for years :-)

Slatts

Snip
also excellent for sweetpeas, gooseberries, runner beans and much more. Jim

wory about the plastics you will be tempted to burn
like the asda cariers full of packagine not the fireligters
and worry about the chip board and MDF plastic wood residues
otherwise burn away all tree wood is by definition cabon neutral its
fossill fuels that are the main problem
so you can run your car on vegiie oil at 30 p a litre and it wont cause a
problem to the enviroment but the deisle @ 88p a liter that has been locked
underground for 20 00 millenia is
one you use the energy in and its recycled the other is long termed stored
the problem is the oil co's need to make a profit hence the 50p a litre
differnce in price
sorry for the spelling i am dyslexic and lifes to short to wait for the
spell checker to run
dave




"Padger" wrote in message
...
Snip
also excellent for sweetpeas, gooseberries, runner beans and much more.
Jim

"TR" you @me wrote in message ...
wory about the plastics you will be tempted to burn
like the asda cariers full of packagine not the fireligters
and worry about the chip board and MDF plastic wood residues
otherwise burn away all tree wood is by definition cabon neutral its
fossill fuels that are the main problem
so you can run your car on vegiie oil at 30 p a litre and it wont cause a
problem to the enviroment but the deisle @ 88p a liter that has been
locked underground for 20 00 millenia is
one you use the energy in and its recycled the other is long termed
stored
the problem is the oil co's need to make a profit hence the 50p a litre
differnce in price
sorry for the spelling i am dyslexic and lifes to short to wait for the
spell checker to run
dave


A bit of bad info their TR.
the 50 pee diffidence is dew to guverment duty.
Sorry for my bad grammar i am illiterate;--)

H Ryder wrote:
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)


Many gardeners recommend it highly for onions and garlic. An article
this year in Kitchen Garden by an Italian gentleman growing garlic said
all his bonfire waste went here. It is not strong as a potash fertiliser
or alkanine additive so you can actually add quite a lot. I have heard
of 1/2" depth on a bed. It will also condition a sticky clay soil, help
keep slugs off and is generally a good soil additive. Potash is not just
good for flowers but also fruit and root veg. I don't waste any of mine.

"Bruce" wrote in message
...
H Ryder wrote:
I'm just digging our vegetable patch over and intend to grow: potatoes;
beans etc; brassicas and roots in 4 quarters next year. We have an open
fire
which we use fire lighters to light but then just burn wood on. Can I
put
the ash onto the veg garden (or any other part of the garden) and if so
which of the 4 quarters can ~I put it onto. Thanks in advance,

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)


Many gardeners recommend it highly for onions and garlic. An article
this year in Kitchen Garden by an Italian gentleman growing garlic said
all his bonfire waste went here. It is not strong as a potash fertiliser
or alkanine additive


I think you'll find that most authorities give a figure of 25% for the
alkaline content of wood ash. Furthermore wood ash is possibly the
best source of organic potash which is generally available. At between
6% - 10%, presumably depending on species and other factors.

As somebody who's used it under fruit trees myself I know
I can disregard any warnings about excess alkalinity. However
the efficacy of wood-ash might still be crucialy dependant on
soil type and a user's particular circumstances, such that
blanket recommendations should possibly be avoided.

quote

Wood ash does have fertilizer value, the amount varying somewhat with
the species of wood being used. Generally, wood ash contains less than
10 percent potash, 1 percent phosphate and trace amounts of micro-nutrients
such as iron, manganese, boron, copper and zinc.


The largest component of wood ash (about 25 percent) is calcium carbonate,
a common liming material that increases soil alkalinity. Wood ash has a
very fine particle size, so it reacts rapidly and completely in the soil.
Although small amounts of nutrients are applied with wood ash, the main
effect is that of a liming agent.

Specific recommendations for the use of wood ash in the garden are difficult
to make because soil composition and reaction varies from garden to garden.
Acidic soils (pH less than 5.5) will likely be improved by wood ash
addition.
Soils that are slightly acidic (pH 6.0 to 6.5) should not be harmed by the
application of 20 pounds per 100 square feet annually, if the ash is worked
into the soil about 6 inches or so. However, if your soil is neutral or
alkaline (pH 7.0 or greater), find another way to dispose of wood ash. If
you don't know your soil's acidity or alkalinity level, have it tested for
pH.

/quote

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/woodash.html


so you can actually add quite a lot. I have heard
of 1/2" depth on a bed. It will also condition a sticky clay soil, help
keep slugs off and is generally a good soil additive. Potash is not just
good for flowers but also fruit and root veg. I don't waste any of mine.



michael adams

....