Use chimney ash as fertilizer

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With energy costs constantly rising, many people take advantage of the option of using a wood-burning stove to save energy. This creates a lot of ash that has to be disposed of. A further use of the fireplace ashes as fertilizer for your own garden is an obvious choice.

Untreated wood as a raw material for fertilizer.
Untreated wood as a raw material for fertilizer.

What you need:

  • untreated wood
  • Fireplace stove

Fireplace ash, however, cannot be considered unrestricted fertilizer be used. When using it, a few points must be observed in order to protect yourself from undesirable consequences.

Positive properties of the fireplace ash

  • Ash remains as a residue after burning wood, which contains the minerals potassium, calcium, phosphate and iron, among other things. You can use these minerals for fertilizing plants or for adding to the compost use. This saves you space in the garbage can.
  • Ash has an alkaline pH value. You can use them to neutralize acidic soils.
  • The fireplace ash spreads very effectively and quickly in the ground as a fertilizer if you do not use too much at once. The guideline is 0.3 liters of ash per square meter per year. In the compost, you should put fireplace ash in thin layers.
  • Dust the ashes thinly on z. B. plants infested with lice. The ash acts as a natural enemy against pests or fungi.
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Ash as fertilizer - what should be considered?

  • If you want to use chimney ashes as fertilizer, you should make sure that you have z. B. Do not use glossy catalogs or other toxic substances for lighting. Treated wood and wood briquettes should not be used due to their high level of pollution.
  • Not all plants like alkaline fertilizers, but prefer acidic soil. If you are unsure, you may be doing more harm to the plants than it is good for them. So like z. B. Lavender heather, laurel or rhododendron prefer an acidic soil and should not be fertilized with ashes.
  • Wood can contain a lot of heavy metals such as cadmium or lead (e. B. old trees on highways), which are heavily concentrated in the ash. You should better refrain from fertilizing vegetable plants or fruit trees.
  • You shouldn't fertilize too much with ashes, as they can become muddy when it rains and the soil becomes impermeable. Chemical burns to the plants or roots are also possible, as ash is highly alkaline. Avoid excessive amounts on the compost. This can damage the ecosystem.

As with many things, when fertilizing with fireplace ash, it is important that you do not overdo it and that you think about where it is best to use it beforehand. If in doubt, it is better to dispose of the fireplace ash in the bin.

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