No Subject
- From: M*@aol.com
- Date: Sat, 1 Nov 1997 01:58:01 -0500 (EST)
would be a benefit to most plants.
In the nursery trade sterilized soil is used to raise plants.
When I worked on the local golf coarse- there were a few spots that had ben
used to burn cut down trees- and the grass would just not grow there.
also in the woods next to our property - were many small bon fires have
been- I can still go out and find were they were after 10 years , because the
soil will not support many plants. clearly the soil is still not Sterile and
there has been plenty of time for bacteria and fungi to recover.
Wood ash in limited amounts spread out over a area would be a benefit-it does
add potassium- but it does not make a good general soil additive, charcoal
the product of burnt wood is used extensively as a filter- because of it's
ability to bind with free elements like nitrogen and trace elements. When
wood burns, nitrogen and sulfur are lost as gases, and calcium, potassium,
magnesium and trace element compounds remain. Where soils are acid and low in
potassium, wood ash is beneficial to most garden plants except acid-loving
plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons and azaleas.
One-half to one pound of wood ash per year is recommended for each shrub and
rose bush. Spread ash evenly on the soil around perennial plants. Mix into
the soil about one inch deep. Do not leave ash in piles, because if
concentrated , excessive salt from the ash will leach into the soil,
creating a harmful environment for plants.
<<In compost piles, wood ash can be used to help maintain a neutral
condition, the best environment to help microorganisms break down organic
materials. Sprinkle ash on each layer of compost as the pile is built up. Ash
also adds nutrients to compost.
If used judiciously, wood ash can be used to repel insects, slugs and snails,
because it draws water from invertebrates' bodies. Sprinkle ash around the
base of your plants to discourage surface feeding pests. But once ash gets
wet, it loses its deterring properties. Continual use of ash in this way may
increase the soil pH too much, or accumulate high salt levels harmful to
plants.
Sullivan offered advice for using wood ashes as a soil or compost amendment:
•Protect yourself when applying wood ash. Use the same precautions you would
use when handling household bleach, another strongly alkaline material. Wear
eye protection and gloves. Depending on the fineness of the ash, you may want
to wear a dust mask. •Do not use ash from burning trash, cardboard, coal or
pressure-treated, painted or stained wood. These substances contain trace
elements, harmful to many plants when applied in excessive amounts. For
example, the glue in cardboard boxes and paper bags contains boron, an
element toxic to many plant species at levels slightly higher than that
required for normal growth. •Do not use ash on alkaline soils or on
acid-loving plants. •Do not apply wood ash to a potato patch as wood ashes
may favor the development of potato scab. •Do not apply ash to newly
germinated seeds, as ash contains too many salts for seedlings. •Do not add
ash with nitrogen fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate (21-0-0-24S), urea
(46-0-0) or ammonium nitrate (34-0-0). These fertilizers produce ammonia gas
when placed in contact with high pH materials such as wood ash. >>
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