Ash - what to do with it?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If its Kingsford or any other briquette that isn't 100% hardwood I would toss it...putting it in the woods or garden isn't going to help with all the chemicals in their!

Lump charcoal ashes I put in the garden and flower beds.
 
BluzQue said:
Mine goes in the woods behind my house.

:LOL:

So does mine. I might feel guilty (it's undeveloped land, formerly a dairy farm, soon to be a housing development) if one of their trees hadn't fallen across my fence and smashed my deck a couple of years ago. I figure I still owe them about 1500 more pounds of ash to call it even. :mrgreen:
 
Well first thang is a person need to figger out if their soil is acid or alkaline. If its acidic..which can purty well be determined if it will grow some species of Evergreen Tree..it would be safe to scatter it over the yard. Only way it will hurt the grass is if a person pile it up and it smothers the grass..shuts off the light etc. Now you could also make soap out of it if you an industrious type feller or if you are the boss at your house you can make your wife do it. If I was to point out a big pile of ashes to the warden and tell her to make soap she would say something like this, "Yes Dear..do you want me to make Ivory or Lava soap?" As you can see I run thangs at my house.

bigwheel
 
bigwheel said:
Well first thang is a person need to figger out if their soil is acid or alkaline. If its acidic..which can purty well be determined if it will grow some species of Evergreen Tree..it would be safe to scatter it over the yard. Only way it will hurt the grass is if a person pile it up and it smothers the grass..shuts off the light etc. Now you could also make soap out of it if you an industrious type feller or if you are the boss at your house you can make your wife do it. If I was to point out a big pile of ashes to the warden and tell her to make soap she would say something like this, "Yes Dear..do you want me to make Ivory or Lava soap?" As you can see I run thangs at my house.

bigwheel

I'm guessing the warden is computer illiterate!
 
No, your "ashes" are fine......"ash" is a different matter due to the emerald ash borer infestation.....
 
I put mine in my woods, which are awaiting me to get serious about composting. Anyhow, growing up we used to save them and sprinkle them on the ramp, steps, and sidewalks on the ice during winter. It was effective, as I recall, but messy. Just something else to consider . . .
 
Well I believe ya on the ice in Joisey. Had an old chum back in the real early 70's who was trying to dodge the Viet Nam draft deal by joining the Air Force Reserve which took basic training up there. He say the coats we wear on the outside is just the beginning under layer for you'uns. He got robbed while trying to buy a beer out of a vending moochine in his barracks. Two of his compadre members of the minority co-moonity put a straight razor up to his throat and made him cough it up. He finally got out by calling in sick each day. Captain Doc eventually axe him did he want out. He say yes of course. They put him down for a high frequency hearing loss and sent him back to Falfurrias from whence he came.

bigwheel
 
Those of you who use it on your plants may want to check the soil Ph as a result! Ashes are VERY HIGH in acid. They work well on evergreens, rhododenron, azaleas, etc. I'm guessing that they are not so good for veggie plants. Time to add lyme!
 
Woodman said:
Those of you who use it on your plants may want to check the soil Ph as a result! Ashes are VERY HIGH in acid. They work well on evergreens, rhododenron, azaleas, etc. I'm guessing that they are not so good for veggie plants. Time to add lyme!

According to Clemson University (http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~blpprt/bestwoodash.html) wood ashes are alkaline: "In summary, wood ash application is similar to lime application. Both materials can benefit crop productivity but wood ash has an added advantage of supplying additional nutrients. Both materials are also alkaline and could cause crop damage if over applied or misused." Remember, the pioneers made soap using lye that they made by trickling water through wood ashes. So don't put them on your acid-loving plants.

(I wouldn't put ashes from briquettes on any of my plants, but that's just a personal prejudice.)
 
Yeppers you was right on the alkaline vs acid thang..just backassards as my Mama would say:)

bigwheel
 
Yeppers 50% is real good. Remember well one year when my left wing big brudder got a nice plaque for batting .554 in Babe Ruth League baseball in high screwl. Guess that put him a little over 50% but not by much. Dat boy could hit the ball. Knocked three homers in several games. Now if I could just get him to start worshiping at the Shrine of Ronald Reagan:)

bigwheel
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom