Green Tips for Wood Ash
If you have an open log fire or wood burner then the ash and charcoal produced from these cozy heaters actually has a number of beneficial uses, and instead of just throwing this away you can recycle it in many different ways in your home.
Charcoal
The intense heat and lack of oxygen at the very heart of a big roaring log fire can often create good quality charcoal, so don’t throw this away when you are cleaning out the grate but put it to one side instead, as it can be recycled for the next time you light a fire, or used for summer barbeques when the weather is nice again. You can even use this charcoal as a filter medium and all you need to do is take the black charcoal (making sure you brush off any white/grey ash) and then pound it loosely with a hammer and use an old pestle and mortar to grind it into a fine powder. Although this isn’t as effective as the activated charcoal filter compounds you can buy commercially as long as you are not using it for drinking water or other essential processes it should provide you with a cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative.
Deter Pests
Slugs and snails do not like crawling over ash as it can dry out the essential mucus coating on their delicate bodies, so by sprinkling ash around your plants and vegetables you can deter these pests without using any chemicals that could affect other creatures. You will need to reapply ash regularly and also after rainfall for the maximum effects.
Prevent Icy Paths
Wood ash can be used to prevent ice from forming on garden paths and patio areas, and is much more environmentally friendly than spreading salt or other anti-icing chemicals that are on the market.
Boost Compost
Ash has a number of beneficial nutrients (including potassium carbonate, phosphate, iron and zinc), which are released from the tough wood fibers by the burning process. Spreading wood ash between each layer of your compost can be an excellent way to boost its growing power when it comes time to add it to your top soil and garden pots.