Re: Ash as nutrient?
- Subject: Re: Ash as nutrient?
- From: R* G*
- Date: Fri, 09 Nov 2001 19:23:56 -0800
Charl de Winnaar wrote:
> Any advice on the benefits, or otherwise, of adding wood ash to beds
> which are mulched with pinechips and other acidic clippings? I have lots
> of ash from my winter fires and want to spread it over my beds. Good
> idea? What nutrients, if any, would it contain? Would it alter the ph
> balance? If so, up or down?
>
> Regards
> Charl de Winnaar
>From what I have read (and we all know how much garden writers from
different regions like to contradict each other and I am no expert in my own
right), it can depend somewhat on your soil, on top of impermeable clay, the
salts, (which are abundant in ash) can accumulate and significantly impact
the ph (up). There should be minimal impact to soil with good drainage, but
watch it if you are in an inland valley location (here I assume similar
geographical distribution of clay in your area). As far as nutrients, most
of what was contained in the burned material will be present in the ash,
although nitrogen will be very depleted. The only way you are likely to see
an appreciable increase in ph, barring clay soil, is if you were to work the
material under. You would probably see immediate, disastrous results in that
case.
Ryan Gyurkovitz
34.5N Coastal California
