Can wood ashes from indoor fireplaces be added to garden soil?
Wood ash does have some fertilizer value, and the grade is approximately 0-2-5. However, wood ash contains about 35% calcium carbonate, a common liming material. Since wood ash particles are so fine, they react quickly and completely in the soil and could raise soil pH excessively. It is recommended that a soil test be done before applying ashes to the garden, to determine the current pH level. There is a danger of overliming with ash, so if soil test results are not available, apply only one to one and a half pounds of ash per 100 square feet. A rate higher than this could adversely affect pH. If you do apply ashes to garden soil, it’s wise to soil test annually to make sure the pH level does not go too high. Increasing the soil pH to a more alkaline level affects plant nutrition. Most nutrients are readily available to most plants when the soil is slightly acidic (pH 6.0-7.0). As alkalinity increases, many nutrients are bound to the soil and become less available for plant use. If th
