Wood ash

What is the best way to use the wood ash from our small log burner please? We get about half a bucket every 3 or 4 days. Do I have to store it dry first or can it be added to something immediately?  Are there any plants or areas which are an absolute no-no for it?

We mix our wood ash into our kitchen waste. The resulting compost comprehensive soil improver. 

Ours just gets sprinkled on the compost heap.

Thanks Andrew, I like the idea but not sure the worms in the wormery would feel the same. However it has made me think I could mix the ash with the compost from the wormery.

In an old gardening book I have it says sprinkle a couple of handfuls in December/January on clematis, peonies, delphiniums. Which I have done, and have just read that a new herb border benefits fron a bucket full being dug in. I a about to do one of these so am now saving the ash.

I have also added it to the compost

I am new to this as well and do not want to throw it away

Just remembered it can be sprinkled round the soil of tree and soft fruits in early spring/late autumn

Hi dead keen ,i read its good for veg, and not to leave it on top but turn it over into the soil as it depleats its goodness in the rain,and not to be used on shrubs the books talk about acidity of the soil so i just dug it in our raised veg beds hope iv doneright

lot of luck Alan

Hello' The rain depleting ash goodness is that  when a down pour washes the surface away? Do green mauure crops reduce surface erosion? Ash acidity is certain in sulphate of potash, it contains sulphur. I'm not sure about wood ash, is that acid as well?

spread on your veggie plot.

Wood ash is alkaline and does contain a few useful nutrients.  Certainly ok on the veggie plot.  The only wood ash I wouldn't use is from burnt treated wood as this will contain copper compounds which are poisonous.  I learnt that the hard way when I burnt a pile of old fencing panels many years ago.  Anything grown on that piece of ground was stunted even several years later and I had to eventually remove and replace the soil at that spot.

Thanks Bob that hadn't occured to me before. Is it best never to burn anything treated or painted because of dioxins or toxic gasse? I have a wood burner but take any furniture or old fence to the recycle centre.

Rosa carriola wrote (see)

In an old gardening book I have it says sprinkle a couple of handfuls in December/January on clematis, peonies, delphiniums.

That is to stop slugs from eating the tender shoots as Slugs do not like the dry ash.

Didn't say why. Thing to remember though. Thanks