Content
- Is it recommended to use ash as fertilizer?
- If you want to fertilize with ash, choose the heating material carefully
- The lighting material
- The fuel
- Which ingredients does pure wood ash have?
- What effect does wood ash unfold?
- How is ash used as fertilizer?
- Which plants can be fertilized with ash?
- Ash in compost
- Regulations in the individual countries
- Ash turns into soap
- Tips
Ash is alkaline and should be used wisely
Is it recommended to use ash as fertilizer?
In times of steadily rising oil prices, more and more people are opting for a wood-fired tile or stove stove. If the chubby warm fire is out, depending on the used heating material a lot of ash remains. Usually this is simply disposed of with household waste. However, like our grandparents, you can use ashes as organic fertilizer. But what is the point of fertilization with ashes?
If you want to fertilize with ash, choose the heating material carefully
In order for the heating material to become a valuable fertilizer, you must carefully pay attention to the substances used when heating.
The lighting material
Well suited is eco-ignition wool, which consists of wax-coated natural wood. This not only has a long burning time, but also leaves no harmful substances when burning.Alternatively, you can use newsprint that should only be printed in black and white. The printing ink contained therein is also classified as harmless after combustion.
Until a few years ago, unprinted cardboard boxes were also recommended as lighting material. However, since these are mainly made from recycled materials, toxic dioxins are produced during combustion. The ashes contain heavy metals and toxic substances that are released into the environment when the fertilizer is scattered. Cardboard boxes are therefore just as little in the oven as colored printed glossy magazines.
The fuel
Burn only natural wood. Residual wood and waste wood, on the other hand, have absolutely nothing to do in the oven. Paint, paint and wood preservation coatings as well as plastic components and glue form very toxic substances during combustion. These not only enter the environment with the smoke, they also remain in the ashes.
Which ingredients does pure wood ash have?
These are:
However, also a small amount of heavy metals, which are a natural wood constituent, as well as impurities from the air, which are deposited in the rough tree bark.
What effect does wood ash unfold?
Due to the lime contained ash acts basic. It thereby helps to neutralize acidic soils and regulates the pH. Wood ash also has a rot and fungus inhibiting effect.
How is ash used as fertilizer?
Due to the composition you can use pure ashes such as potassium fertilizers from the garden trade. As it dissolves very quickly, the nutrients are quickly available to the plants.
Be sure to stick to the standard of 3 liters per 10 square meters - a 10 liter household bucket filled with ash will suffice for more than 30 square meters of bed space.
Pull thin grooves and fill them with ash, which is then covered with soil. Cast gently to allow the fertilizer to penetrate the soil.
Which plants can be fertilized with ash?
Not every plant tolerates this fertilizer equally well. Many vegetables, however, grow very vigorously by ash fertilization and provide good yields. Which includes:
Geraniums, fuchsias, roses and many flowering plants can also be used sparingly with ashes.
Ash in compost
Ash from untreated wood may be added to the compost. However, here as well: Only sprinkle a thin layer and cover it with a thick layer of plant material. Then you do not have to worry about adding too many heavy metals to the compost.
Regulations in the individual countries
In Switzerland, since June 1, 2019, wood ash has ceased to be listed as an approved fertilizer in the Fertilizer Ordinance. Even private individuals have to dispose of ashes in the household waste. Since then, fertilization with ashes has not been prohibited only in agriculture.
Whether you have to give the resulting, excess wood ash in the biowaste or household waste in Germany, is not uniformly regulated. Check with your local community or waste center for details.
Ash turns into soap
Even simmered soap is trendy. From pure wood ash, you can make soap that is guaranteed to be free of industrial ingredients whose origin you do not know. The process is laborious, but worth it, because it is very interesting to observe how the supposed waste product gently foaming and, if you add ethereal oils, delicately scented soap developed.
Tips
Plants that prefer acid soil, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, peonies or lavender heather, should never be treated with ash.