permaculture

[lbsaltzman@aol.com]

I suppose many variables come into play, but if wood ash killed worms 
California would be worm free. The native Californian Indians burned 
massively and regularly generating a significant amount of ash.  Many areas 
were burned yearly and few areas went beyond five years.  I just finished a 
brilliant book by an ethno-ecologist a woman named M. Kat Anderson from U.C. 
Davis. The book is called Tending the Wild.  It is an in depth look at the 
horticultural and animal management practices of the native peoples of 
California.  Burning was one of the their favorite techniques for 
interrupting succession and increasing the biodiversity of plants that were 
useful to them and to  the animals that were also useful to the people. Can't 
recommend this book to highly.
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: aballiett@frontiernet.net
To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 4:58 AM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Wood Ashes as a soil amendment


>Alan, and all,
>Go easy with that stuff. Even where soils are on the acid side I NEVER
>do more than a light dusting with wood ash. It's VERY alkaline. Clients
>in San Francisco indiscriminately dumped it in piles in their landscape
>and nearly killed their rhododendrons and azaleas before I discouraged
>the practice. They had a tiny landscape and were generating more ash
>than the space could absorb. If you have a wooded area, you can return
>it to the trees but broadcast it widely and thinly. Even when I add it
>to compost I apply it only in very thin layers. It can kill worms, too,
>if applied too heavily. Who knows the effect on microflora and fauna?
>Keith

I think the pH of oak wood ash is about 8.5. Azaleas and rhodies are 
acid loving plants, so, yes, I'd keep wood ash away from them. I'm 
not sure about reasonable applications of wood ash killing worms, but 
thanks for the advice. I guess my question was 'how can I effectively 
buffer the ash when applying it,' like how much elemental sulphur to 
bring the pH down to 6.5, or something like that. Or if its' even 
worth fooling with wood stove wood ash as a garden input. Thanks! 
-Allan
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