Coal ash

[garyd]

hi,is it ok to use coal ash on the veg garden in the same way you'd use wood ash,i've had conflicting advice,or can i mix it into my compost bin,seems a waste to throw it out

[veggiechicken]

Use it on your paths, not on the garden.

[VirginVegGrower]

They did years ago but the modern train of thought is not to.

[garyd]

why on paths

[Bren In Pots]

I've just looked in my old gardening book (1957) and they say not to use it because of the sulphur compounds they contain but that was before the days of smokeless fuels.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Using Coal Ash in the Garden perhaps worth a read

[veggiechicken]

why on paths

Because that is a way of recycling the coal ash so that you're not actually "wasting" it and it is also what used to be done with coal ash in gardens - creating clinker paths. I would not use it on your soil because you don't know what chemicals are in it. Gone are the days when house coal was anthracite. I sometimes use a "coal" briquette and the fine powder ash that remains is yellow. Goodness knows what it is. If you can burn just wood, the ash is very useful in the garden.

[garyd]

thank you very much,very informative,i am going to try it on a couple of beds this year to see what happens,i'll use it as i would use wood ash and perhaps mix some in the compost bins,again thank you

[veggiechicken]

Your choice!

[garyd]

know where your coming from ,i use "duck egg"briquettes and wood,perhaps i need to research the duck eggs to see what is actually in them,thanks for your help

[Potstubsdustbins]

Now I use pesticides and gardening chemicals etc. but coal ash no thanks. I worked in the gas industry when coal was baked to produce gas and some of the nasties were extremely concentrated. The site of the old gas works was supposed to be cleaned over a two year period but it was still leeching into a small local river to the extent they had to install physical barriers.

Colin

[veggiechicken]

Let me know what you find out, please. I haven't been able to find out anything definitive about this yellow ash so prefer to be cautious and not use it on the edible garden. I tried putting the ash on icy steps and just made them even more slippery.

[zazen999]

Me three [I'm losing count]...I once had to take soil samples of an area where coal ash power station had been had been; it smelt so bad that I refused to enter the pit and so the client had to go and get them - and the stench was so bad we had to double bag the scoop in with the soil.

He admitted to me after that he had bagged some the week previous and had just put it in a bag in his boot; and had to stop on the way home and barf on the side of the road; it was nasty stuff.

Chemical smell, not poo - you understand.

I spent 14 years as a civil engineer, specialising in soils and now, I only use organic methods for my gardening; there's enough rubbish in the soil already without me adding more.

[garyd]

will let you know,just had a quick look on internet but could'nt find much info,next freetime i'll give it a more extended search,again thanks for your help

[Nicos]

eeewww...I wouldn't use it on my veg plot either.
Gut feeling makes me reel back in horror at the thought of all those chemicals.