Fireplace Ash

Antigone05

Wasnt too sure where to post this, so i thought it would make most sense here.


Moved into a new place, has a fireplace! its been a while! enjoying it, but whats the best thing to do with the ash. i dont like putting it in a bag in the bin..doesnt seem to make sense.


thanks

Tomk1

Putting it on the grass in the garden, will make the grass really green. or just get a composs.

Antigone05

wow. are you sure?

i thought after time wood ash in piles starts to deposit salts..which then would destroy grass..

Oldtree

I would only be inclined to give a small sprinkling on a lawn

have a look at irishseedsavers
http://www.irishseedsavers.ie/article.php?artid=465

and then

http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/frederick/2004/ashes.htm

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/woodash.html
mentions "But because wood ash increases soil pH, adding large amounts can do more harm than good. Keep in mind that wood ash that has been exposed to the weather, particularly rainfall, has lost a lot of its potency, including nutrients."

http://www.humeseeds.com/ashes.htm
mentions "If you are top dressing the lawn or flowerbeds use only about ¼ to ½ inch of ashes per year".

10-10-20

Have a look at this:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055520302

Mahatma coat

if you generate a lot of ash then yer best bet would be to mix it with lime and put it on the lawn VEGGIE PATCH, you can try different combos until you get the mix that produces the best results

if ya can lay yer paws on some sawdust throw that inta the mix too

netwhizkid

Coal ash is not recommended afaik as it can contain heavy metals. Ash from log fires or turf (peat) should be ok so long as it has fully burned out and there was no plastics or any other dioxin related materials burnt also.

One of the worlds greatest resources could potentially be Biochar which is a natural fertilizer manufactured in a similar process to how Coke is made from Coal.

fmcc

Not 100% on this but a customer once told me never to use peat ash on veg etc that you may end up eating seemingly the dioxin level is very high and will be transferred to the veggies. Wood ash seems to be cool and the the gang though.

Carawaystick

where would the dioxin come from in peat? There would be an issue with the acidity with it, but dioxins would only get into the ash if you burned plastics or other non-natural fuels.

fmcc

Caraway this is the only item I can find on it but will search again. Most others are warning againest using it from increasing ph levels. the customer was most emphatic about it in any case so just thought I'd pass it on.
http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=27891.0

Carawaystick

aha, that link refers to scottish islands peat. These'd be blanket bog and there'd be considerable sea salt in the peat - think of the islay whiskys and the sea/iodiney tang off them


peat here is mainly from blanket bog and inland. there'd be no sea salt(burning fuel with sea salt creates dioxins from the chlorine in the salt).

regarding the lead referenced in the link, I'd say this would only be localised, like lead mines are localised. Bord na Móna have been selling peat compost for decades, I'd imagine this lead issue would have been flagged by now if it was an issue. obviously, peat compost isn't the most sustainable thing going.....

Peat and peat ash would be acidic, and wouldn't be good for composting in general, but I don't think it'd be a serious health hazard like dioxins would.