john norton wrote:
Hi
Be careful if using wood ash as a soil amendment. The
burning can form polycyclic aromatiic hydrocarboms
PAHs in the ash, which can be acutely toxic to plants
and people and they can be carcinogenic.
If at all, only use small amounts of wood ashes in
gardens. A friend years ago put all the ashes from his wood stove on his large garden
year after year. The soil became poisoned and very little would grow in it. It took him years to get it back to normal.
Never add wood ashes or any pH mediating product to a compost pile. The bacteria in compost regulate pH themselves;
if you override this with ashes or lime the pile will cease to function normally and you will end up with poor compost.
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