Use wood ash in the garden

Wise ways to use wood ash in the garden

Heating oil in many parts of the world has now risen to astronomical costs. In fact, the high cost of heating oil converts a lot of homeowners into wood stoves. Instead of throwing wood ash in the trash, there are many ways to use it in your garden. It offers many benefits, which we will discuss in detail in this article.

1. Make a wood ash tea

Just like you make compost tea, you can also make nutritious, fermented tea from wood ash. This will provide nutrients to the growing plants as you can spray the tea at the base of your plants. To do this you need to put three pounds of ash in a burlap bag and submerge it in water in a 30-gallon bin. Leave it there for a few days.

2. Spread wood ash to prevent snails and snails

There are some garden pests that do not really like wood ash! Wood ash has a sharp, abrasive feeling when dried. To prevent these slim, slippery pests from harming your sensitive plants, you can spread ash around your plants (preferably around perennials).

3. Make wood ash an essential component of your fertilizer

If you have a compost pile, you can also use wood ash. Add the ash to the pile to help balance the acidity. Sprinkle lightly on each layer as you gradually add to your pile. If you plan to store the wood ash for later collection, leave them to dry. If you do not want to use the ashes in your garden immediately, you can store them in a metal trash can until they are ready to use.

4. Use on alkaline-loving plants

Some plants like asparagus, junipers, and conifers prefer to grow in high alkaline soils. These are the best candidates for wood ash compost! However, you may want to avoid using wood ash in blueberries, potatoes, and rhododendrons, as they require more acidic soil where they are grown.

5. Add lime and potassium

Although wood ash contains a variety of trace nutrients (some of which vary depending on what type of ash the tree came from), you can use them when your garden is low in potassium or lime. It also contains various nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These nutrients vary depending on what type of wood was used to make the ash. The best way to add wood ash is to add it to your compost. When wet, wood ash produces traces of salt and lye. As long as you add these in small quantities, you should have no problem, but if you have large clusters around your plants, they may burn. Composting removes salt and bark.

If your soil does not have high acidity and sufficient alkalinity, wood ash can be added to help increase the pH. Wood ash contains a lot of potash, which is beneficial for plants such as peas, parsnips, beans, and carrots. Many fruits also appreciate a little potassium.

6. Minimize frost damage

There is not much you can do to delay the arrival of winter - but you can prevent frost damage by spraying your plants with wood ash.

7. Reverse potassium deficiency

Plants flowers and fruits need a lot of potassium for their potential. Soil can be used as a mulch by spraying wood ash around the plant. The best wood ash types to use for potassium deficiencies include those made from young hardwoods such as maple and oak.

Wood ash can also be used to prevent and treat rot at the end of flowers. When you grow disease-prone vegetables like cucumbers, pumpkins, and peppers, throw a handful of wood ash into the pit before planting.

8. Prevent Club Root Disease

Clubroot disease is an incredibly bad disease that is common in brass like cauliflower and broccoli. By raising the pH of your soil, you can remove club roots and restore your plants to their original health and vigor.

9. Keep pests out of the compost

A lot of gardeners say that adding wood ash to the compost pile will prevent pests. Some even use it to avoid large creatures like bears! It is mostly based on forecast sources but is certainly worth considering.

It is often used to control insects such as rats, mice, cockroaches, and other creeping crawlers.

10. Provide traction

If the garden has slippery spots (especially watered) Then), you can add wood ash. This will help add a little traction without damaging pavement surfaces or animal feet.