If you’ve done any gardening than you probably already know that PH is crucial for plant survival and a key player in maintaining optimal PH is Potassium. Potassium is an essential plant nutrient and large amounts is needed for growth and reproduction.
Wonder what this has to do with chimneys? Well, what you probably didn’t know is wood ash is high in potassium! Adding ash to your flower or vegetable garden can raise the PH of the soil .
Tomatoes especially will benefit from the ash addition. Not only is wood ash rich in potassium, but it also contains phosphorus and magnesium, which are the same ingredients found in many store bought tomato fertilizers. Tomatoes will be plumper, juicier and sweeter. Yum! Just add 1 cup of fine powdery wood ash for every 1.5 cubic feet of potting mix and ashes from hardwoods have the highest potassium content. Also, an added benefit to using wood ash in your garden is pest control. Sprinkling ash in the garden rows is a natural way to deter pests that are destructive to leaves and a menace to your sanity. Please be sure to check your plant’s PH preferences prior to spreading. Hydrangeas, azaleas and tulips prefer an acidic environment.
Still have some left over ashes in your fireplace from this winter’s burning? Put them to work! The best part is, you get to reap the benefits 🙂