What do you do with your ashes?

[egalecki]

So I have this garbage can full of ash, lumps of charcoal, etc. What do you do with them? I know I can add some to the garden, but how much at a time?

I could make soap, too, I suppose, but I'd rather not at this point...

Seems a pity to just waste them, but I'm not sure about the possibilities!

[gjbingham]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

I put them in my mulch pile of yard clippings, rotten apples and pumpkins.

[Jed]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

I think about screening the charcoal out to use in the fire or the barbecue, but have enough spare projects, so cool them for days and into the garbage...

JED

[Frances]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

You can sprinkle it on icy paths instead of salt... apparently. I haven't tried it so far because we prefer to slither around on all the ice.

[nissanneill]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

So Frances,
who has frozen paths anyway?
We are in to week two of our heat wave, up to 35˚C last week and hanging around the high 30's all this week!!!
I put some in my garden and dump the rest as I also have a slow combustion heater which produces around a 20 litre bucket of ash every 3 to 4 weeks of continuous running.

Neill

[david s]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

Wood ash tends to be quite alkaline, so be careful about adding too much of it directly into your garden. It is better to add it to your compost where it can balance out the acidity of rotting leaves. We are having a deluge of rain from ex tropical cyclone. I've lost count of the number of times that I've dumped water out of the swimming pool and the rain gauge (120 mm) fills up daily. We haven't seen the sun for 10 days.

[nissanneill]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

David,
I'll swap you for one day's 120mm of rainfall for a 38˚C clear skies day!
We are desperate for rain and have been on serious water restrictions for over a year now!

Neill

[egalecki]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

WE have frozen paths. It's supposed to be 11 degrees overnight again. Maybe I will put some out. It's gotta be better for the grass than salt is.

We tend to have quite acid soil. I keep having to add lime to my garden beds. I suppose I could try adding some ash in a measured quantity and then test for pH to see how it did. I don't have much of a compost pile at this point. I want to make one with straw bales this summer, but I have to see what I can get past he who mows the lawn. A nice tidy shape with straw bales has to be better than a messy pile, right????

[Frances]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

I thought you might be having some ice Elizabeth...

Our Winter's been a lot colder than usual this year, hasn't gone above freezing for the last two months. Its not as cold as up in Canada, but I'd still love to swap some of this ice for a bit of warmth and sunshine. Though maybe not quite as much as you're having in Australia ritght now...

[sarah h]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

"Its not as cold as up in Canada..."

Yes it's cold, however, the TV promises me that by Saturday, it will be 9C - that's almost 50F!!!! Maybe I will finally be able to get the door out of my oven - it's frozen there.

If so, I can nab the ashes and keep them handy for when the temps plummet again ... as they will ...
Then again, with a dog around to track the ashes in, I may think twice befor scattering them on ice but that's a good idea to toss them in with compost and leaves!

Sarah

[gjbingham]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

We've busted 50 degrees F two days in a row here, though it's well below freezing in the mornings. Feels like Spring is close!

[cynon767]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

We've been having temps in the high 60's F here in northern California. It feels more like April than February. Unfortunately, that's gone hand in hand with what is shaping up to be the worst drought in our recorded history...

[egalecki]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

Wind chill was around -8 last night. It's supposed to be 60 by Sunday. This weather is insane.

[Ken524]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

Yep... -2F this morning in bluegrass country. High of 60 forecast on Saturday. If we don't all have pneumonia, we'll be cooking pizza Saturday night!!

[egalecki]

Re: What do you do with your ashes?

I was worried about you all in Kentucky, Ken. I saw where the town I grew up in was pretty hard hit- ice is just awful.

Glad to see you back!