Content
- 1 Ash composition and its effect on soil quality
- 2 Why is ash not considered a nitrogen fertilizer?
- 3 Where should ashes not be used?
- 4 Making fertilizer from wood ash
- 5 Which foliage makes the best ash: myths and reality of making fertilizer
- 6 Is cigarette ash good for you?
- 7 Fertilizer from coal burnt in the stove
- 8 Rules for feeding plants
Ash obtained from the combustion of vegetation, coal and wood waste is used by gardeners as fertilizer. Organic matter contains useful minerals that have a beneficial effect on plant development. The dry gray substance is not only a complex fertilizer, but also protects crops from pests. Ashes are sprinkled on cabbage and radish leaves. Wood is used ash as fertilizer for all garden plantings, flowers and fruit trees.
Ash composition and its effect on soil quality
Determining the exact composition of wood ash as a fertilizer is a difficult task. The presence of microelements and their percentage depends on the type of organic matter burned. It does not matter whether it is coal, peat, shale or ordinary vegetation, the composition of the resulting dry matter is very different. Even when burning two piles of coal of different types, two organic fertilizers differing in microelements will be obtained.
Even the age of the wood affects the composition of wood ash.The richest composition is considered to be the ash obtained by burning young tree branches. Straw from cereal crops does not lag behind in quality. To find out whether it is ash or whether it is a nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizer, a table is provided that shows the content of the main elements as a percentage.
Coal, oil shale, and peat ash as fertilizer are not very rich in useful microelements. Ashes are often used for pest control. Small granules of burnt coal are used to make drainage in flower beds when growing flowers. In gardening and gardening, wood ashes are considered the most useful. To understand wood ash, what kind of fertilizer and what elements it consists of, a table is offered for your reference.
Most gardeners are familiar with ash as a fertilizer, but the dry substance also improves the structure of the soil and restores acidity. Ash loosens the soil. Loamy soil is easier to cultivate, and oxygen access to plant roots increases. Beneficial microorganisms and earthworms multiply in the soil. All these points are closely related to increasing productivity.
The video talks about wood ash:
Why is ash not considered a nitrogen fertilizer?
To understand what kind of fertilizer ash belongs to, it is worth considering the features of its production. Nitrogen accumulates in the tissues of fresh organic matter: leaves, wood, plant stems. During combustion, smoke is released. And nitrogen evaporates with it. Only mineral inorganic substances are retained in the remaining charcoal. As a result, wood ash is not a nitrogen-containing fertilizer.Ash is rich in calcium, phosphorus and potassium.
Where should ashes not be used?
In many cases, the use of ash as a fertilizer is justified, but ash is not always beneficial:
- Do not mix ash with fresh manure. This threatens to reduce nitrogen production. As a result, compounds are formed that are poorly absorbed by the plant root system.
- Ash should not be fed to seedlings until two full leaves appear.
- Ash reduces acidity, but it cannot be applied to the area where cabbage is planted. Beans react similarly poorly.
- Fertilizing the site with nitrogen-containing substances and charcoal is carried out at different times of the year: in spring and autumn. Both substances cannot be added together.
- Before planting seedlings, the ashes are thoroughly mixed with the soil. A large accumulation of the substance can burn the root system of plants.
- For soil with an acidity level of more than seven units, charcoal will only cause harm. As the alkali increases, the absorption of nutrients by plant roots will worsen.
- Ashes are not added when preparing fresh compost from vegetation, as the content of nitrogenous substances is reduced.
In most cases, ash is useful as a fertilizer, but you need to know when and where to apply it.
Making fertilizer from wood ash
Experienced gardeners know which ash is best for fertilizer and how to prepare it. Ashes are usually stored in the fall. At this time, a lot of tops are collected after cleaning the garden, branches of cut down bushes and fallen trees.
Dry fertilizer
Preparing dry fertilizer is simple. It is enough to burn the wood and wait for the coals to cool completely. The resulting ash is not sifted, but large fractions are simply selected. Small coals will not cause any harm. For storage, the ash is collected in bags. It is important to set aside a dry place so that the fertilizer does not attract dampness.
There is no special secret on how to use wood ash as fertilizer. Gray dust with small pieces of coal are scattered around the garden. If fertilizing is done in the spring before planting, then the ash is dug up with the soil. Autumn application does not require mandatory digging. The ash will act as mulch, absorbing into the ground along with rain and melt water.
Applying dry fertilizer requires maintaining the correct proportions for each type of soil. The dose increases for soil with a high clay content. Approximate consumption per 1 m2 plot is:
- for sandy loams – up to 200 g;
- for loams - from 400 to 800 g.
Exceeding the dose threatens to disrupt the alkaline balance of the soil.
Liquid fertilizer
Liquid fertilizer is better absorbed by plant roots. The solution is applied simultaneously with watering. In addition to root feeding, grapes, tomatoes and cucumbers are sprayed with nutrient liquid.
You don't need to be an experienced agronomist to know how to use ash as fertilizer. It is enough to know how to properly prepare the solution. There are two popular methods:
- Cold exposure. The percentage of ingredients depends on the plants for which the fertilizer is prepared. On average, take about 200 g of dry matter and pour 10 liters of cold, unboiled water. Leave the solution for at least a week, stirring occasionally with a stick.
- Mother infusion. The recipe is complex, but the resulting solution is maximally filled with minerals.To prepare the fertilizer, 1 kg of burnt wood is poured into 10 liters of cold, unboiled water. The liquid will have to be boiled for up to 20 minutes. It is better to do this over a fire in a large cauldron or iron bucket. After cooling, the fertilizer will be ready for use.
Of the two methods of preparing liquid nutrition, mother infusion is considered the most effective. The solution is filled with minerals, can be stored for a long time without losing its beneficial properties, and thanks to boiling, all harmful microorganisms are killed.
Which foliage makes the best ash: myths and reality of making fertilizer
During the spring-autumn period, the foliage of trees accumulates a large amount of useful substances. When burned, a gray light substance similar to dust is obtained, without containing large fractions of coal. Fertilizer from the resulting ash is used in the garden as a top dressing. The difficulty of preparing the substance lies in the low yield. When burned, a maximum of 2% of ash remains from the total mass of foliage.
Dry leaves are burned in a large metal container. After cooling, the dust is packaged in plastic bags. Moisture ingress is unacceptable, otherwise the leaching process will start.
There is an opinion among gardeners that the best ash composition is obtained from walnut leaves. Indeed, iodine, fats, and other beneficial compounds accumulate in the tissues. You can get a useful solution by infusing or boiling fresh leaves.When burned, all organic substances volatilize. The same phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium and other minerals remain. The composition of walnut ash is no different from ash obtained by burning the foliage of any tree.
Is cigarette ash good for you?
Much has been said about the dangers of cigarettes, but this does not mean that the resulting ash is poorly suited for fertilizer. Burnt tobacco is no different in composition from ash obtained from leaves or any vegetation. With combustion and the release of smoke, all harmful substances evaporate. The only problem is collecting the ashes. It is impossible to smoke enough cigarettes to get a bag of the ingredient.
Cigarette ash is collected in small quantities and used to feed indoor flowers. The solution is prepared from 15 g of dry matter, soaked in 1 liter of water for three days. Indoor plants are fertilized 3 times a year. Usually water during flowering at intervals of two weeks.
Fertilizer from coal burnt in the stove
Coal slag is more often used for construction work or arranging drainage in a flower bed. The content of magnesium, calcium and other minerals is minimal. However, coal ash is also used as a fertilizer and is beneficial.
Dust is sifted from the slag and sprayed over the area at a rate of 100 g/m2 and dig it up with a shovel bayonet. Coal ash is rich in carbonates, sulfates, and silicates. After fertilizing, the soil is enriched with sulfur, which is beneficial for onions, legumes and all varieties of cabbage.
Rules for feeding plants
In what proportions is ash used as a fertilizer and how to apply it depends on the plantings for which the fertilizer is being prepared:
- Grapes are fed in the fall with an infusion of 5 buckets of water and 300 g of wood ash.In the spring, dry matter is added to the soil, and in the summer, the soil is sprinkled on top to control pests.
- Tomatoes are fed by scattering half a glass of ash on the ground near the stem of each bush. Another method is to prepare a liquid solution, dilute 100 g of dry matter in 1 bucket of water and add bushes.
- Cucumbers are fed by scattering ashes over the entire area of the bed before watering. When applying liquid fertilizer 3 tbsp. l. dry matter is infused for 7 days in 1 liter of water. 0.5 liters of solution is poured under each bush.
- Onions are susceptible to fungal diseases. To preserve the harvest, the ashes are sprayed over the garden bed and then watered generously.
It is justified not only to use ash to fertilize the garden, but also as a means against pests. Dry ash is sprinkled on plants and the soil underneath them to combat flea beetles, slugs, Colorado potato beetles, and snails.
Now there is no pressing question of what fertilizer will replace ash, because the store is full of complex fertilizers containing all the minerals necessary for the plant. But most drugs are obtained chemically, and ashes are obtained naturally from organic matter.
