Good or bad idea?

I'm digging in the coal ash from my wood burner at the moment - in an attempt to help break up the heavy clay soil. Should I be doing this?

 

Coal ash isn't a good idea if you're growing edibles, may have heavy metals in it

 

http://content.sierraclub.org/coal/disposal-ash-waste

 

I seem to remember digging in ash from the fire and a boiler when I was a kid, the fire burnt mostly coal and the boiler coke.
Cant remember any ill effects, and it does break up clay as you say.

 

Coal ash can sometimes contain a fair amount of sulphur, which will react with moisture and turn the ground acid. It doesn't always contain sulphur though, and in fact I think the processed stuff that we're still allowed to burn has had the sulphur removed, I think, so might not be a problem.

 

Thanks Guys . I read on the interweb that clay soil is 'usually' alkaline - so perhaps as clueless1 says adding the ash might help to address this.

I didn't have any idea that coal (which was wood and then peat then coal) contained all the nasties in the article you pointed me to Zigs.

Merry Christmas everyone.

 

It's had 300 million years for mineral & metal solutions to percolate down thru it unfortunately