Coal ash

Coal ash; is best avoided because it has a negligible nutrient content and its fine particle size means it is of little benefit to soil structure, plus, it may contain toxic by-products.

Perhaps you could put in layers in your compost heap particularly if your compost heap contains lots of vegetative matter and this may stop it turning into a gungy mess.

 

I thought so that's why I highlighted it!

Another thought strikes me and it is regarding "soot" which must contain similar bi-products as the ash IMHO

If using this; the experts say let it weather outdoors prior to using it, so this suggests to me that you could quite possibly take this approach with you ash.

As I said it is only a thought!

 

This one's a bit late as I have had a gas BBQ for the last 4 years. When I had a charcoal barbie , I used to spread the ash on the garden . Is this good or bad like Loofahs coal ash ?

 

I wouldn't have thought so, isn't charcoal charred WOOD rather than fossilised wood?

 

Coal ash is fine for acid loving plants. I know this for two reasons.

1) Apparently, way before any of us lot were about, it was routinely used for surfacing paths in the garden. It was a good way to get rid of it.

2) Much more recently, my grand parents grew the most amazing hydrangea in the 'ash mountain' in the back yard. The ash mountain was the ever growing pile of ash that they accumulated when cleaning out the coal fire. They also had very healthy red currants growing in it too.

Coal ash contains sulphur, and when it gets wet (as it will) it produces sulphuric acid, which is why it is not good for non-acid loving plants.

 

I only have wood ash here but had only coal ash in the UK ... and I never lost anything. I think sense has to come into it as to how much you put and where.

 

I used coal ash for a couple of years to create paths - it was handy way to dispose of it.
I used to keep the soot from when I swept the chimney to sprinkle (lightly) between my rows of carrots as the smell was reckoned to keep carrot fly away. I also used to put soot into a sack and soak it in a bucket of water and use it diluted as a high nitrogen feed on my veg.
On the all too rare occasions when it's warm enough for a BBQ I just empty the wood ash onto any handy bit of soil or else tip it on the compost heap.