My Tiny PlotThe Benefits of Wood Ash
If you have a wood fire then the benefits are many. Not only do they smell great, keep your toes warm and mean that you have more than the average number of visitors (in Winter at least). You can also use the ash on the vegetable plot.
At this time of year when I’m busy deciding what should go where for the coming season I normally scatter some wood ash on the proposed onion bed and around fruit trees and canes. They seem to love it.
The ash is washed away quite quickly so I’ll probably keep re-applying as the season gets underway. You can scatter it around onions, garlic, shallots etc and it will discourage root maggots. The slugs don’t like it either.
Be careful not to use it near any acid loving plants though (like Blueberries and Potatoes) as it tends to make your soil more alkaline.
You don’t have to use your ash up immediately either. You can store wood ash and use it later, so long as it stays dry. And you can also put it in the compost bin. It’s a very versatile fertiliser.
Funny i was researching this last week as i’d just ordered a climbing rose. I threw in a couple of handfuls of wood ash when i planted it on Sunday!
Is it good to put it around the base of apple/cherry trees?
It’s a great additive and I always use it around canes and onions in particular.
Hi James – any fruit likes wood ash as it can be high in potash which is super good for flower production and therefore fruit. Have a look at my crazy nutrient plant here: http://www.mytinyplot.co.uk/feeding/what-nutrients-do-what/
I use my wood ash around my fruit trees. I just sprinkle a handful or so around the base. They seem to love it!
Woodash is also a good fertilizer for your potatoes!
We have a builders bag full of the stuff! I’m salting it into the compost as I build up the bin. Rob