Soot

muckybutt

What do gardeners actually use soot for ?

Sally_A

Used to be used for blanching celery....many moons ago.

annie123

During the war years my grandmother saved up the soot (from wood burning and coal if they could get it) and spread it around the garden in Feb/march before main sowings were done and did this till the got GCH in the late 60's.
She said it kept some pests away from onions and warmed and fed the soil. No idea if there's any science behind that but she grew wonderful fruit/veg/plants and continued until a few years ago when she had a stroke.
Wish I'd paid more attention when I was younger.

Just had a quick google too and found this:
http://www.madaboutgardening.com/cecils-library/2011/08/ashes-soot/
Looks like nan was right.

blossomhill_2

My family used soot and ash from the fire and chimney sweep to break down the clay soil over decades

A._Badger

It's a useful source of slow release nitrogen. I always used to ask my sweep to leave the soot behind,

muckybutt

I often get asked to leave it behind for my customers when ive swept their chimneys

splodger_seedswapper

i use soot on my allotment and it's great early part of the season to repel small ground dwelling creatures (slugs, snails, weavils, flea beetle etc)

but it must be old soot - never use fresh soot - as it is too strong and will burn your plants - i say burn, not meaning that if it's hot it will burn, but when fresh the soot is just too strong for the plants to cope with

i don't use much either - about a milk pan full - each season - and that does all of my plot - assuming that it doersn't rain everyday (needless to say that i haven't used any this year)