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

"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.

"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

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

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.

"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

"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

"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.

"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

"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

"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.

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

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.

"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

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.


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