Burning 'green' wood & ash

If you burn it with other stuff it'll go, don't think it'll burn on its own though.

Sprinkle the ash as and where needed, it'll soak in

 

I've got some ash to spread after burning some conifers last week. My understanding is that don't use it on acid plants and it's fine to just rake it in the top soil.

 

What Zigs said.

 

There is calcium present in it, which is alkaline, so using it a lot might cause a problem, but I'd expect if its very occassional, the amount involved will barely dent the pH.

 

Or, if you use coal to get the fire moving, the resulting ash will be slightly acid, by virtue of the sulphur in the coal.

When I was a kid, in my grandad's back yard was the 'ash mountain'. Every time he cleaned out his coal fire, he put the ash on this ever growing pile. At its peak it was quite sizeable, and in it grew a well established hydrangea and a very productive red currant bush

 

Veg always seems to grow well in the spot where you have had a bonfire.
I'm not sure about the alkaline effect, I dont think its enough to bother most things, plus just how big was this Buddleia? Are you likely to get much ash from it really?

I usually get a good fire going with off cuts from work if I want to burn green wood, its not easy to get going in these damp times.
If you could get a couple of old pallets to get it started it might help.

 

Remember to check the pallet codes if you do.

http://www.1001pallets.com/pallet-safety/

 

Thanks Zig , I am going to check our pallet codes in despatch at work tomorrow ! Wow life in the fast lane

 

I always thought that the ashes from coal are a no-no for the garden? I can pick sea coal from my beach all day but haven't as everything from my stove goes on the compost heap. What do you guys suggest?

 

Coal could contain traces of metals, so the industry says not to use them on gardens, but that is mainly to cover their own backs.

Plants need certain metals in trace amounts anyway, so unless you're emptying the contents of a blast furnace, a small amount shouldn't make much difference.

 

When I had a charcoal BBQ, I would spread the ash on my garden . Didn't seem to do any harm , maybe it didn't do any good though
Wasn't coal soot used on gardens , in times gone by ?