wood ash is it acid or alkaline?

[lynda66]

was just debating what to do with the ash from yesterdays bonfire, the chooks have some, but what do i do with the rest of it, firstly is it acid or alkaline, mostly wood/probably pine and hawthorn and elderberry..... and should i use it as a mulch or dig it in? theres no room in the compost heap, and i'm hoping to get the compost out of there in the next week or so anyway as most of it is ready

thanks

[SarzWix]

According to the RHS, wood ash has a slight liming action, so that's alkaline isn't it?
Using wood ash in the garden - Gardening advice from the RHS

[lynda66]

damn, thanks hun, guess i'll erm do summat else with it then lol ....... i certainly don't need any more liming

[SarzWix]

have you or anybody nearby got conifers? Mixed with leylandii prunings or something, it'd be more or less neutral
Either that, or, eat lots of oranges and mix the peel in...

[lynda66]

nope everyone seems to have ripped them out lol, ..... was wondering the other day how i was gonna find someone with 2 million spare lemons lol

[bluemoon]

It's definitely alkaline. Lye was made with wood ashes.

[pigletwillie]

Chuck it on your onions, garlic or around fruit bushes and trees chuck.

[lynda66]

yeah that would be fine if i wasn't plagued by factor 10 soil already lol ...... i may make a collage with that, chicken poo and a dandelion and enter it for the turner prize

[snohare]

Save it for your next compost heap, or for feeding your flowers later in the season when you need potash ? ( I seem to remember hawthorn is particularly high in potassium.) Shove it somewhere moist ? That'll be acid, so the alkalinity would be of use.
Or shove it on some lovely nitrogen loving rhizomeous weeds like dockens.
Actually, add it to your hot acidic chicken poo when they are both fresh, it will help it cool, it is a marriage made in heaven !

[bobleponge]

Got any goosegogs Lynda? They luvs it

[zazen999]

Hi guys.

Lynda has ridiculously alkaline soil, esp in the front garden. She can't really afford to put it anywhere at the moment. As she says, it has a ph of 10 which is stupidly high.

Sorry hon, but unless you are saving it up for the lottie if and when you get one; I'd keep it completely away from your garden. Or swap it for some lemons on freecycle.

[lynda66]

Got any goosegogs Lynda? They luvs it

nope i hate them

[lynda66]

Hi guys.

Lynda has ridiculously alkaline soil, esp in the front garden. She can't really afford to put it anywhere at the moment. As she says, it has a ph of 10 which is stupidly high.

Sorry hon, but unless you are saving it up for the lottie if and when you get one; I'd keep it completely away from your garden. Or swap it for some lemons on freecycle.

ahhhh the joys of freecycle lol ........ i think i may just sift out the lumps, and the nails ........ and let the chooks have it, in their sand pit

[SarzWix]

When/If you get your car, I have at least 2 heaps worth of leylandii compost, you can have it all

[lynda66]

thanks hun