Can Wood Ashes Be Used in Gardens?
Wood ashes contain potassium, a necessary plant nutrient. They are also very alkaline, so they help bring our naturally acid soils closer to a neutral pH. Wood ashes used in moderation can be good for the vegetable garden or annual flower garden, especially where they can be thoroughly mixed into the soil before planting. Use about one heaping spadeful per square yard every two years. Do not use ashes from painted or treated wood, glossy magazines, or other non-wood debris. Around existing plants, such as roses, you can work about one cupful into the top couple of inches of soil every other year. Be sure not to use ashes around plants that do best in acid soils such as rhododendrons, azaleas, kalmias, heaths and heathers, magnolias, lilies, potatoes and blueberries. If you enjoy fires regularly and have an average size lot, you will make far too many ashes each year for your garden to take them all. A limited amount of ashes can also be added to compost heaps to decompose with other pl
