How to Store Wood ASH & Use It In The Garden?

Many people usually dump the wood ASH of the fireplace or campfire without knowing that it is a great natural substance to boost the garden.

If you follow our following guide on how to store wood ASH and use it in the garden, you will surely save a bit on your fertilizer budget as well as keeping some harmful animals from your plants. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

How To Store Wood ASH?

Improper wood ASH removal and storage can be dangerous.

While wood ASH tends to cool down fast, coals and small embers hiding in a pile of ASHes could reignite if they’re exposed to flammable materials or placed in a windy area. Some hot coals could stay hot in 4 days.

Therefore, always wait until wood ASH cools down completely before storing them.

You should also pay attention to the container or bin used for storing wood ASH.

There are two things to consider:

• Airtight – as long as there is no oxygen, there is no risk of hot coals or small embers in wood ASH being reignited. Make sure the lid is airtight.
• Bin/container material – it should not be flammable or support fires. Metal is the best choice in this case

Besides, avoid placing these bins/containers on wood surfaces. Instead, place them on brick, stone, or concrete floors.

How To Use Wood ASH In The Garden?

In gardening and agriculture, wood ASH brings a lot of benefits, such as:

Prevent Your Crops From Frost Damage

The role of wood ASH, in this case, is quite similar to that of using mulch or plastic bags on your plants, which is insulation.

Sprinkle a thick layer of wood ASH around the plant roots (especially effective for tomatoes).

On frost-bite cold days, cover the whole plant with a plastic bag for extra protection. Take note that wood ASH is only suitable for those areas with no strong winds.

Control Pond Algae

As wood ASH is rich in potassium, it can restrict the growth of pond algae and is an eco-friendly way to control them.

The recommended ratio of wood ASH should be one tablespoon per 1,000 gallons of water. Don’t use too much because it might increase the pH level in your pond, which is not good for aquatic plants.

If you have no idea of your pond volume, start small and observe how your aquatic plants respond in the next few days before deciding to add more or not.

Note: It is not recommended for fish ponds because wood ASH might clog up their gills, which might disturb their breathing and even kill them.

Keep Snails And Slugs At Bay

Wood ASH is the eternal enemy of snails and slugs because it absorbs slime and fluid or these animals, making them more difficult to creep along.

Sprinkle a thin layer of wood ASH on your plant roots or dust it on the whole plant.

Note: These two ways only work as long as the ASH isn’t wet.

A Great Alternative For Agriculture Lime

ASH (especially from oak or other hardwoods) is popularly used as the perfect substitute for agricultural lime because of its high-content potassium.

The fact that hardwood ASH offers higher content of alkaline than softwood ASH. According to a reliable study, ASH from a cord of Douglas Fir provides enough potassium for a 30’x30’ garden while that from oak is enough for a 60’x70’ garden

The content of potassium in The fact that hardwood ASH is different between types of wood.

Therefore, if you intend to use The fact that hardwood ASH for increasing the soil pH level, it is essential to make a quick pH test before applying.

Also, remember to check the soil pH level 6 months later.

Neutralize Acidic Compost

If your compost is made of various fruit waste or other acidic ingredients, one of the most effective ways to neutralize it is by adding wood ASH.

As stated above, ASH contains a lot of potassium so that it can keep the pH of your compost at a lower level.

Note that don’t apply a huge amount of ASH at once because this might impact worms and bacteria in the compost. Instead, divide into smaller portions and add to your compost frequently.

Conclusion

We hope that our guide has given you all the information on how to store wood ASH and use it in the garden. Ah, if you intend to apply ASH directly on the soil, another important thing to remember is only to use it on windless days.

If you have any inquiries or any great ideas relating to this topic, please share with us through the comment section. Our team really loves to hear from you more. Finally, thanks for reading!