Uses for multi fuel stove ash

Jolaaled

This is my first winter with my lovely multifuel stove..I burn a mix of wood logs and coal.
I now have about 2 big sackfuls of fine ash. As this is not 'pure' wood ash, I'm guessing it's no good to sprinkle directly onto my veggie patch.
It seems a waste to throw it away...are there any garden project where I can use this?

thanks everyone!

zarazara

Lucky you. You can mix it with urine for the perfect veg feed, I keep meaning to try that but at the moment I sprinkle all my ash on the allotment or just add to the compost heap. if theres lots of coal then maybe its best not to use it. i always use mine though, its about 80% wood and 20% coal.

cootambear

if your mix is heavily wood then its useful. if coal, no.

though widely used by victorian gardeners, coal ash can contain minute quantities of harmful chemicals such as arsenic (depending on coal type). so if you use it heavily these chemicals would be present in crops in undesirable levels.

moreover, coal ash offers far less nutrients than wood. wood ash is high in potassium, (good for flowers, fruit). sprinkle directly on crops, no point composting.

Jolaaled

zarazara wrote: »

Lucky you. You can mix it with urine for the perfect veg feed, I keep meaning to try that but at the moment I sprinkle all my ash on the allotment or just add to the compost heap. if theres lots of coal then maybe its best not to use it. i always use mine though, its about 80% wood and 20% coal.

Just wondering (as I'm a girl!)...I had heard it's only male urine that's ok for compost/feed??!! Is this right??

cootambear

Jolaaled wrote: »

Just wondering (as I'm a girl!)...I had heard it's only male urine that's ok for compost/feed??!! Is this right??

No. I suspect that myth was invented so that women could protect their modesty,

Lotus-eater

cootambear wrote: »

wood ash is high in potassium, (good for flowers, fruit). sprinkle directly on crops, no point composting.

Actually wood ash is better composted. When put direct onto the crops or plot, it leaches out very quickly. When you stick it in the compost bin it gets into the compost being made (binds with it or something) and stays alot longer.

I wouldn't use any ash with coal mixed up in it though.

Lotus-eater

cootambear wrote: »

No. I suspect that myth was invented so that women could protect their modesty,

It's not a myth. Male urine is better for composting, but female urine works as well.

jcr16

after we had a bonfire out metal bin was full of charcol ( burnt mainly old wood) and my dad said tip it under our confire tree's. Now i can't remember what was the excate reason,lol, but he said it would do them some good.

emiff6

Lotus-eater wrote: »

It's not a myth. Male urine is better for composting, but female urine works as well.

????? Why??

lostinrates

Do you burn the coal and wood together or at different times? Could you separate the ash if you are burning it separately? we burn just wood...and are sprinkleing in on the garden as we go. ...maybe I'll put more in the compost. I hadn't really thought of doing that.

Personally I wouldn't put any percentage coal on my garden, but put wood ask on regularly.

cootambear

I`ve read that on average male urine is slightly less acidic (better). However, since urinary pH varies mainly due to diet (eating cranberries will send it sky high), and your compost heaps acidity will depend on whatever else you have thrown in there, it isnt much of a concern. Not worthy of asking male guests to pee in a bottle lol!

Though I do know as a man, that peeing is good for my nuts.