The many uses of wood ash
Yes, you're right. The wood ash that you diligently scoop out of your log burner is surprisingly useful!
Once it's completely cold, store it in a galvanised bin and you can use it around the garden and beyond.
1. Make sure you burn wood and wood only.
(That means no coal or any other random thing you might be tempted to chuck on the fire!)
2. Make sure it is fully cooled before you use it anywhere.
So, what can you actually do with it?
Add it to excessively acidic soil.
Wood ash contains potassium and has a liming effect on the soil, helping to reduce acidity.
Add it to your compost heap.
Again, it adds potassium and can help discourage larger omnivorous beasts from having a dig through your compost. You may also notice your compost becoming healthier, with more worms, woodlice and other composting mini-beasts moving in and breeding.
Add a little to your pond.
A small amount can help strengthen aquatic plants. Around one tablespoon per 5,000 litres is plenty.
Feed it to your tomatoes.
The potassium content can help reduce problems such as blossom end rot.
Use it as a slug and snail deterrent.
A heaped circle of ash around susceptible plants can be surprisingly effective at slowing down slimy invaders.
Add it to poultry dust baths.
If you keep chickens or other poultry, they will absolutely thank you for it. Wood ash helps them deter mites and other parasites.
Add a tiny amount to poultry feed.
A teaspoon mixed into feed (at a ratio of just under 1% of their normal ration) has traditionally been used by poultry keepers. Some believe it can help support general health and laying performance.
And then there are the historical uses...
Wood ash has been used for treating injuries, creating Bronze Age tattoos, tanning hides, making pottery glazes, as a traditional leavener (and still is in some bagels and pretzels), cheesemaking, pickling, preserving olives, removing toxins from acorns, controlling moss, and much more.
When boiled with rainwater it produces lye, which forms the basis of traditional soap making. It can also be used as a mild abrasive cleaner on glass, enamel and ceramics — something I regularly use on the sooty glass of our log burner.
And that is only scratching the surface. The humble pile of ash you were about to throw away has probably been put to more uses throughout history than most things in your house.
