| Page 1 of 2 | 1 | 2 |
|
|
Soot on gardens
Can anyone give some information on the benefits or otherwise of spreading
soot on the veg. patch. Other questions spring to mind, do you leave it in a pile for some time and what sort of measurement per square yard TIA ......................Leslie |
Soot on gardens
"Leslie" wrote in message ... Can anyone give some information on the benefits or otherwise of spreading soot on the veg. patch. Other questions spring to mind, do you leave it in a pile for some time and what sort of measurement per square yard TIA ......................Leslie I'd be a bit cautious with soot or ashes - depends what has been burned to get it. If it is from coal it can contain lots of carcinogens and heavy metals which are not good for the veg plot and the resulting veg dangerous to eat. In fact I read an article a few months ago, forgotten most of the details but apparently someone had been putting coal soot onto a garden for many years and this led to so much heavy metals in the soil, the garden ended up being condemned by the local authority or another body as a toxic waste hazard! David. |
Soot on gardens
"David (Normandy)" wrote in message ... "Leslie" wrote in message ... Can anyone give some information on the benefits or otherwise of spreading soot on the veg. patch. Other questions spring to mind, do you leave it in a pile for some time and what sort of measurement per square yard TIA ......................Leslie I'd be a bit cautious with soot or ashes - depends what has been burned to get it. If it is from coal it can contain lots of carcinogens and heavy metals which are not good for the veg plot and the resulting veg dangerous to eat. In fact I read an article a few months ago, forgotten most of the details but apparently someone had been putting coal soot onto a garden for many years and this led to so much heavy metals in the soil, the garden ended up being condemned by the local authority or another body as a toxic waste hazard! My father always put soot (from an open coal fire) on the garden after it had been left in the open for some time so that soluble salts leached out. It darkens the soil and so it gets warmer more quickly. My father grew magnificent vegetables. I used soot on our garden (from an open coal fire) until we had to use gas. The garden was better in the early days than in the later ones. 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 |
Soot on gardens
On Jun 15, 6:03 pm, "Leslie" wrote:
Can anyone give some information on the benefits or otherwise of spreading soot on the veg. patch. Other questions spring to mind, do you leave it in a pile for some time and what sort of measurement per square yard TIA ......................Leslie We put our wood ash from the woodburner into the compost heap. We put the soot from the cleaning of the chimneys also into the compost heaps but not all at once, it is kept in a metal contained until it is added bit by bit. Judith |
Soot on gardens
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. |
Soot on gardens
"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 |
Soot on gardens
"Mary Fisher" wrote in message t... "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 Do I detect a fellow chemist? Potassium oxide (K2O) produced in the burning, getting hydrated to become potassium hydroxide (KOH) which upon exposure to carbon dioxide in the air eventually becomes potassium carbonate (K2CO3). David |
Soot on gardens
"David (Normandy)" wrote in message ... "Mary Fisher" wrote in message t... "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 Do I detect a fellow chemist? Potassium oxide (K2O) produced in the burning, getting hydrated to become potassium hydroxide (KOH) which upon exposure to carbon dioxide in the air eventually becomes potassium carbonate (K2CO3). David I am one, I'm also a chemist (reformed). I though Kermists were now called molecular engineers:-) I did not realise there were many left--- "Do you have your own shop"----:-(( Are you old enough to remember the smell of Cyanide gas and Arsine. I still yearn for a bit of illicit mouth pipetting of Sulphuric acid. Happy Days. |
Soot on gardens
"David (Normandy)" wrote in message ... "Mary Fisher" wrote in message t... "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 Do I detect a fellow chemist? Yes. Potassium oxide (K2O) produced in the burning, getting hydrated to become potassium hydroxide (KOH) which upon exposure to carbon dioxide in the air eventually becomes potassium carbonate (K2CO3). But I didn't know you knew that :-) Mary David |
Soot on gardens
"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote in message ... "David (Normandy)" wrote in message ... "Mary Fisher" wrote in message t... "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 Do I detect a fellow chemist? Potassium oxide (K2O) produced in the burning, getting hydrated to become potassium hydroxide (KOH) which upon exposure to carbon dioxide in the air eventually becomes potassium carbonate (K2CO3). David I am one, I'm also a chemist (reformed). I though Kermists were now called molecular engineers:-) I did not realise there were many left--- "Do you have your own shop"----:-(( Are you old enough to remember the smell of Cyanide gas and Arsine. I still yearn for a bit of illicit mouth pipetting of Sulphuric acid. Happy Days. Nitric acid was the best. Dilute sulphuric brought my nylons out in holes :-( Mary |
Soot on gardens
"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote in message ... I am one, I'm also a chemist (reformed). I though Kermists were now called molecular engineers:-) I did not realise there were many left--- "Do you have your own shop"----:-(( Are you old enough to remember the smell of Cyanide gas and Arsine. I still yearn for a bit of illicit mouth pipetting of Sulphuric acid. Happy Days. It's been quite a few years since my chemistry days, I write software nowadays. I did chemistry as part of my degree and also worked in a couple of labs. Generally fairly tedious stuff analysing water samples in one and testing paint in another. Most interesting job was as a temporary lab tech in a school. Ironically the chemistry teacher was neurotic about chemicals and invited me in to put some lessons and demonstrations together. I had great fun teaching and doing demonstrations on reactivity for Group I and II elements :-). All I can say is thank goodness for safety screens and goggles! The kids were highly impressed with magnesium ribbon burning in pure oxygen - they were blind for a while with "welders arc eye" but what the hey. And as for the large noggin of potassium metal in a pneumatic trough of water... well lets just say the kids thought it was November the 5th. I don't think the cleaner was too impressed with the big hole in the floor though. I showed the kids how welding was done in the olden days (this time outdoors) using thermite. Chemistry can be a bit dull, so hopefully the 'lively' demonstrations may have inspired their interest in chemistry a bit. I bet chemistry education is a dull affair nowadays with the health and safety and risk assessment mentality. Happy days. I nearly got the sack from the paint factory. It was very tedious there. No naked flames allowed due to the various solvents around the place. They were not impressed when I made a large solid fuel rocket outside based on aluminium dust and sulphur - everyone thought the space shuttle was taking off - the blast flames were six feet long out of the rocket! They were even less impressed when it started raining and all the resulting aluminium sulphide got wet ... (hydrogen sulphide) It stunk out the entire factory. Pooh :-( David. |
Soot on gardens
David (Normandy) wrote:
The kids were highly impressed with magnesium ribbon burning in pure oxygen - they were blind for a while with "welders arc eye" but what the hey. You might know about chemistry, but you know nothing about welding. Arc Eye (photokeratitis) is a UV burn to the cornea (often confused with the much worse "flash" which is a UV burn to the retina). Had you given those children Arc Eye you would have found youself in court. Tom |
Soot on gardens
Nitric acid was the best. Dilute sulphuric brought my nylons out in holes
:-( Mary As a reckless teenager in the 70's I used to have some fun with a mixture of concentrated nitric and sulphuric acids. A drop or two of a certain cough remedy and you've got the loudest 'bangers' on November the 5th ;-) Just don't drop them! My mother was not pleased when my home made 'banger' left a small crater in the field at our farm :-( On reflection at some of the crazy chemistry I used to do I'm luck to be alive and not missing any body parts! David. |
Soot on gardens
"Tom" wrote in message ... David (Normandy) wrote: The kids were highly impressed with magnesium ribbon burning in pure oxygen - they were blind for a while with "welders arc eye" but what the hey. You might know about chemistry, but you know nothing about welding. Arc Eye (photokeratitis) is a UV burn to the cornea (often confused with the much worse "flash" which is a UV burn to the retina). Had you given those children Arc Eye you would have found youself in court. Tom Oh for goodness' sake! I'm glad I'm going away tomorrow. David, I've saved your mail and shall reply when I get back. Bye for now, off to wet and windy Wales, feeling virtuous because I've weeded my bean plot.. Mary |
Soot on gardens
On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:02:58 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote and included this (or some of this): Are you old enough to remember the smell of Cyanide gas and Arsine. I still yearn for a bit of illicit mouth pipetting of Sulphuric acid. Happy Days. Nitric acid was the best. Dilute sulphuric brought my nylons out in holes That fuming Nitric acid was nasty stuff, though. -- ®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³ |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:10 PM. |
|
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter