Uses for multi fuel stove ash

Sucker_for_sweeties

Ash is one by product, but because we are burning lots of waste wood, we're left with a lot of sawdust. Too woodwormy,painty for animals we think.

Any ideas, starting to drown now, after this winter.

Sorry to hijack

choille

Wood ash is good on fruit bushes & clemetis. Coal ash is toxic - makes good, hard paths but contaminates the ground - can't use it to grow owt there, but it does set a bit like cement.

I use sawdust for animal bedding but that doesn't have paint in it. Wood worm shouldn't be a problem for bedding but not too sure about the paint in case they peck at it. I'd burn it but the paint fumes is probably a bit of a baddie for the environment. I have made a sort of brickette thing with milk artons - waxed paper kind & filled with sawdust - will burn prett yfierce if you have the valve open though.

angelavdavis

I sprinkled some of our ash on the ungritted road outside and it made it passable during the last bout of snow! So much so that I spotted other neighbours doing it. I am keeping the wood ash now for the fruit trees and compost heap as it is high in potash.

It is surprising coal ash is so toxic really as its made of ancient trees. I always wonder if these things are really as toxic as (for example) the polluted air next to a major road? Just a thought really....

soupdragon10

I have spread a bucket load on a very boggy area just inside the gate - never going to grow anything there and it's made a world of difference, it's not nearly so slippy.

mismax

Now here is a question:j

If you can use wood ash but not coal - how about turf?

We burn turf (from a peat bog) here in Ireland. It is like lumps of dried soil. I'm guessing that it would be fine and that the references to chemicals and metals in coal (formed through a similar process to turf but from deeper underground) are actually references to coke, or chemically processed coal?

Assuming that my turf ash is fine to use, where should I put it? We have fruit trees, veg patch, compost heap - where is best?

Also, I saved the soot from the chimney when we had it swept this year as I remember reading it was good for something in the garden but can't for the life of me think what!!:rotfl: