Is wood ash Alkaline?

[fishpond]

Seem to recall that wood ash is alkaline, can anybody confirm this?

[Bigmallly]

Morning fishpond, yes wood ash is alkaline. I mostly use it around fruit trees & bushes.

[fishpond]

Many Thanks BigMally.
Looks like I had better dispose of it then.

[Jay-ell]

Wood ash contains quite a bit calcium, potassium, some phosphate and a range of trace elements but is void of nitrogen.

It can be added to the soil as a fertiliser - often to fruit trees but will improve the fertility of any bed (except for the nitrogen so it may be good to add to roots)

As it is alkaline it can be used to modify the ph os the soil in a similar way to using lime - add to next years brassica bed.

Any bits of charcoal in it (no matter how small) has loads of tiny pores which can soak up wayer/ nutrients and hold on to them till later. It will also slowly break down improving the soil texture.

Far too useful a resource just to dispose of.

[Snadger]

Make sure its cold though! I cleaned out my woodburning stove and put the woodash around my fruit bushes. I had strawberries at the bottom of the fruit bushes surrounded by straw and finished up setting my strawberry bed on fire!