growing on site of old bonfires.

[dawndaisy]

The previous plot holder didnt use the end of the allotment for growing, just storage and numerous bonfires. Now |I am faced with soil thats mostly ashes, and Im not sure how to deal wwith it. I want to grow on the space, but wonder what will survive here.
Should I spread the ashes about,then dig it in and hope for the best, or set up some raised beds and import some soil over the top. I was wondering if soft fruit would work here?
I am trying to be as organic as I can, and have low beds over the rest of the plot. (not edged)
Any ideas?
I only got the plot last June, and have sorted the other 3/4 of the plot for veg.
Many thanks

Dawndaisy

[Two_Sheds]

Ash is just the remains of old plants: and it's high in good stuff too (potash). Just rake it over and plant as normal

[dawndaisy]

Just what I wanted to hear!

[Matt94]

i agree with twosheds, the ash will give the soil some goodness. if you are that conserned about the condition of the soil add some well rotted manure - it will add nutrients and will more than likely be cheeper than top soil.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I'm going to be less positive. It will very much depend on what was burned in these bonfires. If it was just garden rubbish and branches etc, no problem. However if it was anything else, the soil could be contaminated with heavy metals or other seriously dangerous substances. If you want to grow on that area, make your concerns known to your Council's environmental health department.

[scarey55]

I had the same problem when I moved here, I did the same as Two Sheds and just raked it into the soil, once I removed all the pieces of metal that didn't burn, that is

[Sanjo]

I'm going to be less positive. It will very much depend on what was burned in these bonfires. If it was just garden rubbish and branches etc, no problem. However if it was anything else, the soil could be contaminated with heavy metals or other seriously dangerous substances. If you want to grow on that area, make your concerns known to your Council's environmental health department.

It might also make a difference if an accelerant was used and what kind

[salome2001]

any problem planting strawberries in it?

[Two_Sheds]

the soil could be contaminated with heavy metals

It's a known unknown, or is it an unknown known? There could be. If the poster is seriously worried, they could try phytoextraction ~ growing plants to soak up the residues. Dispose of those and then grow normally. Useful extraction plants include alfalfa, cabbage and Indian mustard

It wouldn't be a bad idea to grow alfalfa on the site anyway, (as an in-situ) or the mustard as a cut-and-mulch green manure

[taff]

mushrooms also extract heavy contamination.
Magic Mushrooms: Can Fungi Help Clean Up Pollution? | Use Celsias.com - reduce global °Celsius

[Two_Sheds]

^ not so easy to grow on a lotty though Taff (the hippies will keep pulling them up)

[Aberdeenplotter]

any problem planting strawberries in it?

The more I think about, the less I would grow anything for human consumption. It is an unknown but there is certainly a known risk. Either check it out or rchuck it out, i.e. the soil and residues from the area of the bonfire site but don't just spread that around in another area. It needs to be disposed of responsibly and that is where the Environmental Health people come in

[Bigmallly]

If you can establish what he/she was burning, it may be handy for a fruit tree area.

[Maccabee]

^ not so easy to grow on a lotty though Taff (the hippies will keep pulling them up)

Lol, just reminded me of this

http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/botan...rticle_10.html (the last plant)

Try explaining to the allotment society that you're growing it to 'cleanse the soil'

Regarding the OP, you can choose not to grow in this spot and put it to some other use, but then whose to say the rest of your plot isn't contaminated in some way? None of us can be sure what may be lurking in the soil. We're all taking a gamble really. I'd not worry too much personally. Try as Two_sheds pointed out growing something that will cleanse the soil (perhaps ignore mine and Taff's suggestions )

[donnakebab]

Maybe you could ask your site neighbours if they ever saw the previous tenant burning stuff and if so what sort of stuff?

Otherwise why not use containers on that area for a while and in the meantime try and find out what does lurk within. At least you will be using the space without fear of contamination.