North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Bruce Hansen" <brucedhansen@sbcglobal.net>]

Nonsense. Have you used them? I have for over 20 years. It is also a good
way to use a valuable resource from wood burning.

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of Jim Fruth
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 6:00 AM
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [NAFEX] Hardwood Ash


    Hardwood ash, or any ashes, for that matter is/are a fertilizer in that
it/they are a source of potassium that can be readily used by plants.  The
problem with ashes used as a fertilizer is that it contains potassium
hydroxide which is only a slight step less toxic than lye (sodium
hydroxide).  Ashes also contain a bit of sodium hydroxide plus some
insoluble phosphorus.  The phosphorus can be used by plants only after soil,
bacteria convert it into a more soluble form.  Ashes contain nearly zero
nitrogen.
    Really, though, ashes is/are close to the worst form of fertilizer
unless your soil is too acid and you want to sweeten it.

Jim Fruth
Pequot Lakes, MN

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