Kitchen Garden Forum

A gardening friend has kindly given me a quantity of wood ash from a recent bonfire of chopped down trees and gardening shrubs.
Any advice on which of my veg areas would benefit most from a light sprinkling?
Fruit bushes? Beans, tomatoes, root crops?
Any vegs which wouldn't appreciate this dressing ?
Soil is very dry at the moment. Would it need to be watered in?

Dear Primrose, most plants appreciate wood ash, but potatoes will go scabby if too much ash is applied. Any goodness in wood ash soon gets washed through the soil, so it's best to use it shortly before the crop needs it. The best time to use wood ash is, when plants are either flowering or fruiting.

Thanks OH. I shall curb my impatience to use it then a wait awhile to some of it around my strawberries, soft fruit bushes and beans and tomatoes. Does it lose any of its chemical properties if stored in a dry place for a few months ?

Now is a good time to put ash round fruit bushes, strawbs/currants and rasps have all had some in my garden in the past. No idea if it will keep, never tried that.

As long as it's stored dry Primrose, it will be fine.

Do be aware that wood ash can be exceedingly alkali. As OH has said wood ash can. Produce scab in potatoes.
Wood ash should be used very sparingly and is probably best used about once a month on you home made compost or as a very light dusting around fruit trees and bushes. I have a wood burner and give the ash to any local gardeners and when I simply have too much I put it in the dustbin for collection by the bitumen.
JB.

ive got an old bath that fills itself with rain water, it gets a dollop of woodash, a clump of stinginging nettles or whatever chucked in now and again , the turgid brew is occasionally used diluted to water whatever i think needs it. not in anyway scientific

I would say most of the plant species would benefit from wood ash amendment except of acid-loving plants such as blueberries or rhododendrons. I've been using wood ahs in my garden for years. It is a great fertilizer, rich in phosphorus and potassium. Just don't add too much of wood ash at once to avoid any root demage. Here are more details about using wood ash as a fertilizer. you will need to add some nitrogen in form of compost or manure too though.

Good luck with your plants