You Must Use the Remains of a Fireplace in Your Garden
Autumn brings with it one of the simplest joys in life: long evenings spent curled up in front of the fireplace. But as soon as the last coals burn out for the night, only a pile of ash remains, which you can tempt to simply scoop up and throw away. Wait! This ash can be used in a variety of ways than you might imagine, especially around your yard and garden.
Use wood ash to counteract overly acidic soil.
Wood ash has a high pH, which means it can be used to neutralize too acidic soil . The pH of your garden soil should be between 6.5 and 7.0. If you are testing the soil and it is below 6.5, sprinkle some wood ash to lift the soil. Use about two ounces per square yard once a winter.
Add wood ash to plants that require a higher pH soil.
Even if your soil pH is in the standard 6.5 to 7.0 range, some of the plants in your garden will need soil at an even higher pH in order for them to grow normally. These plants will benefit from the addition of a small amount of wood ash , as well as essential nutrients such as potassium.
Plants that may require some extra wood ash include Brussels sprouts, kale, tomatoes, and most fruit bushes (excluding blueberries and raspberries). However, you should keep it away from any potato plants.
Add it to your compost heap
Wood ash can also be a useful addition to the compost heap, as it helps neutralize decomposing matter that would otherwise become too acidic, and also adds some trace minerals. Unlike adding ash directly to the soil surrounding the plants, which can lead to too high a pH, this will create the right acidity for the compost.
Use it to put out the next fire
Old ash from last night’s fire might be useful for the next fire. Whether it’s a fireplace or a barbecue, you can use ash leftovers to smother the coals . Ash has the ability to create an airtight barrier that can block all the oxygen a fire needs to continue burning. Just store leftover ash in a bucket next to the fireplace to use when needed.