Many people nowadays don’t give much thought about how to use wood ashes in their home and garden. With the invention of electricity our society has learned to depend more and more on electric heat and less and less on wood heat. But, there’s a rising trend of people desiring to go back to the self-sufficient and independent lifestyle of a few generations ago.

People who are given names like preppers and homesteaders are these types of people who are going back some of the basic ways of life. We are learning how to heat our homes with wood burning stoves and as a result we find ourselves with an abundance of wood ashes. While our grandparents and great-grandparents knew how to use wood ashes in their homes and gardens, we are having to learn these principals.

How much ash are we talking about?

If you heat your home exclusively with wood heat you could be producing 100 to 200 pounds of wood ash. There are many factors that figure into this number. It will depend on things such as how efficient your wood stove is, how large your stove is, how large of a space you are heating, etc. You can figure on one cord of wood producing anywhere from 25-50 pounds of ash. The average family uses 4 cords of firewood a year.

What nutrients are in wood ashes?

Wood ash is primarily composed of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, but also contains small amounts of iron, manganese, sodium, boron, zinc, copper, and molybdenum. These are all components that are vital to plant growth. That’s why as you will read below there are many uses for wood ashes in your garden. Wood ash is alkaline so it will raise the pH in acidic soil. It’s best to know the pH of your soil before applying it to your garden so that you don’t damage your plants. In the last point in this article I’ll show you 4 ways you can check the pH level of your soil.

Preparing your ashes for repurposing

Before you start using your wood ashes you should make sure they are free of any unwanted and undesirable debris. Be sure to remove any metal objects, such as nails, screws, or staples that might have been in the wood you burned in your wood stove.  There are two ways that make filtering your ashes very easy.

1. Use a heavy duty magnet

Move a heavy duty magnet over your ashes to pull out any metal pieces. It’s recommended to do this after you have removed your ashes from your stove. It takes a while for embers to cool completely. You don’t want to be surprised by a hot ember while you are filtering your ashes. If you are going to repurpose your ashes in your compost or garden you definitely don’t want nails and screws in them. Here’s a heavy duty magnet that is highly recommended. You can also salvage a magnet from an old hard drive. They are super strong.

2. Strain your wood ashes

Maybe don’t use your kitchen strainer, but something like it! A fry basket like this one would do nicely. You just need to make sure the holes are small enough that a nail or screw will not go through. If you choose to use the straining method to filter your ashes be sure to do this outside. There will be a lot of ash dust flying around in the air and you don’t want to breath it in. Being outside will allow the wind to carry the ash dust away from your face. Strain it directly into a wheel barrel or large bucket.

Don’t throw the large charcoal pieces away. You can use them to barbecue with or crush them and add them to your ash pile.

Wood ash safety

Protect your lungs from wood ashes

Avoid breathing in ash dust. Prolonged exposure can cause your throat and nose to become irritated. You may start coughing and if you have asthma it may trigger an asthma attack. Use slow movements when you are removing the wood ashes from your wood stove. Always move towards your stove pipe so that you work with the air draft to move the dust away from your face or into your home.

Even while working with ashes outside you want to avoid breathing it in. Some people choose to wear a face mask or tie a handkerchief around their mouth and nose while working with it. This is just a safety precaution, but most people with asthma or other breathing conditions need to take the most precautions.

Removing wood ashes carefully from your wood stove

Although ashes may feel cool to the touch you might be surprised that buried embers can remain hot for many days. To safely store wood ashes, place them in a metal container with a lid and set it on a non-combustible surface such as dirt or concrete. Make sure the container is at least a few feet away from any flammable materials.

When handling wood ashes, it is recommended to wear gloves, eye protection, and if the particles are especially fine, a dust mask or handkerchief like mentioned above. It is recommended that you use the same precautions with wood ashes as you would handling bleach, another highly alkaline substance.

Wood ashes may kill seedlings

There are many great uses for wood ashes in your garden but putting them on your seedlings is not one of them. Wood ash contains salts which will damage young plants.

Wear work gloves when handling wood ashes

Wear heavy leather gloves when cleaning embers and ashes out of your fireplace or wood burning stove to protect your hands from any hot embers. But keep in mind that ashes could possibly ruin your favorite pair of leather gloves, so be sure to wear work gloves when handling ashes.

Storing wood ashes

Whether or not you plan on repurposing your wood ashes you need to store them in a fireproof container with the lid shut to choke any embers. If you are planning on repurposing them you need to keep them dry until you are ready to use them. You don’t want the nutrients to wash out before you are ready for them.

Storing wood ashes inside your house

Always, always, store your ashes in a non combustible container. Preferably a metal one with a lid. While you may think it strange that I recommend storing a small amount of wood ashes inside your house, consider this point. Ash is a great extinguisher. If your fire gets too hot instead of pouring water on it, try throwing some ashes on the flames. This will cool your fire out without causing a wet mess inside your firebox.

Storing wood ashes outside your house

Many fires are started because people carelessly place their ashes next to their house or shed thinking that all the embers are completely cooled down. People also like to bury their ashes, but this again is a good way to start a fire. If a hot ember catches some wind a fire has the potential to start and gain momentum with all the dry leaves and twigs surrounding the hole. It’s always best to store your wood ashes in a metal container away from any combustible materials.

What type of wood ashes can you repurpose?

You might be thinking that all wood ash is created equal and can be repurposed in the same ways, but there are some things that make some wood ash better than other types and some you don’t want to repurpose at all.

Young wood ash vs. Older wood ash

Twigs contain a higher concentration of nutrients than older wood does. This will play a part if you are planning on repurposing your wood ash for your garden. Otherwise it makes no difference, it’s just something to know.

Hardwood ash vs. Softwood ash

Similarly to the idea of young wood versus older wood, if the wood ash came from hardwoods, the nutrients you’ll find are about 5 times more than what you’ll find in ash from softwoods. Ashes obtained from hardwoods like oak and maple and beech have five times as many nutrients per cord as softwoods. Again, just something to keep in mind if you plan to use it in your garden.

Painted or treated wood or coal

Only repurpose ashes from wood that is free of chemicals. You shouldn’t burn that kind of wood in your wood stove anyway. Read this article about what not to burn in your wood stove or fireplace. Don’t use ashes from pressure-treated wood, painted or stained wood, charcoal, briquettes, or commercial products like slow-burning wood logs. Those ashes will negatively affect your garden and plant growth.

IDEAS for repurposing wood ash

Home uses for wood ash

You might be surprised at how many ways you can use your ashes in and around your home. We have already mentioned a couple of ways in the points above, but consider these as you keep reading.

1. Clean the glass on your wood stove door – You know how dirty your glass door on your wood stove can get from time to time? One solution is to mix your ash with water or dab it on a wet sponge and then wipe away. Wood ash is one ingredient in lye soap which makes it a great cleaning agent.
2. Fire extinguisher  – As I mentioned earlier, you can use your wood ash to decrease the temperature of your fire or even put it out completely. Just keep a metal bucket full of ashes in close proximity to your wood stove for instances like these. Just toss some ashes into your firebox instead of creating a mess with water.
   
3. Polish silverware – Mix a little water with your wood ashes to make a terrific silverware polish.
   
4. Neutralize odors – Wood ash is great for neutralizing odors. You can place a bowl of wood ashes in your refrigerator similarly to how people use a box of baking soda. Do this anywhere where you have stinky places. Under the kitchen sink, closets, etc.
5. Make homemade soap – In simple terms, soap is made by combining lye and animal fat. You get lye from wood ashes. This is something you can learn to do at home. The process involves straining soft water through your wood ashes. The result is lye water which you can use to make homemade soap.
6. Deodorize pets – Pets like to roll around and get into all kinds of things that makes them come home stinky. When a good bath doesn’t eliminate the smell try rubbing them down with wood ashes. The ashes will neutralize the bad smell.

Garden uses for wood ash

As you will see there are many uses for wood ash in and around your garden. Because wood ash is alkaline it works best in your garden if your soil level is somewhat acidic, below 6. Remember that adding wood ash to your soil will raise the pH level. This is not always desirable for the growth of some plants. Here are some ways you might consider using wood ash for in your garden.

1. Compost – Adding wood ash to your compost pile is a terrific way to repurpose your ashes. If you have worms in your compost pile it’s best to add just a small amount of wood ash at a time otherwise you may kill your worms. Worms in your compost pile will speed up decomposition. Mix wood ashes in with your compost and then use it for mulching around vegetables. Be sure to check the pH balance of your compost before applying it to your garden. You don’t want to put a compost that is acidic on most of your vegetables. Most vegetables grow best at a pH balance of 6.5. If your soil is below that add some more wood ash to bring it up to a more neutral level.
2. Prevent clubroots – When the soil is too acidic in your garden you run the risk of getting this disease in your cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, radishes or turnips. You can sprinkle some wood ashes around these plants to avoid getting clubroots.
3. Cattle manure fertilizer additive – Add wood ashes to your cattle manure if you are using it as garden fertilizer. Cattle manure tends to be acidic so the ashes will neutralize it.
4. Garden pests deterrent – Slugs and snails can be kept away from your plants if you sprinkle wood ash around individual plants or the perimeter of your garden beds. People have also used wood ashes directly on their plants leaves in order to get rid of flea beetles.
5. Inhibit weed growth – You can pour a deep layer of wood ash in spots where you want to inhibit weed growth, but don’t mix it. This works great in places such as alongside structural walls or rock walls. This is a very effective use if you use enough of it.
6. Lawn fertilizer – Lawns grow best at a neutral pH balance and that is why grasses love wood ash. Sprinkle wood ash on your lawn and then water it so that the nutrients don’t blow away but seep into the soil.
7. Winter months– When your garden beds are resting why not prepare them for next years crop? Sprinkle wood ashes on the top and allow the rain and snow to mix the ash into the soil to prepare for spring planting. You can also rake the wood ashes in to ensure the nutrients get down deep in the soil where your plants roots will grow.
8. Plant nutrients – Many plants like tomatoes, apples, and currants are susceptible to potassium deficiencies. People make a solution called “Ash Tea” and pour it on their plants because wood ash is potassium rich. One simple way to make ash tea is to get five pounds of ash and place it in a cloth bag. Fill a 50-gallon garbage can with water, and place the ash bag inside the garbage can. You need to allow the brew to seep for a few days. Then you can pour about a cup around your plants.

Other uses for wood ash

1. Melt snow and ice – You might not have thought about this as a possibility but wood ashes can help make slippery driveways and walkways more user friendly in the winter. It is very effective at providing a non-slippery surface, darkening the ice to make the sun’s warmth melt it, and keeping freezing rain from creating more ice. Just keep in mind that it can be tracked into the house, so leave your boots by the door.
   
2. Chicken bath – Chickens like to wriggle around in dirt in order to get clean. If you mix wood ash with sand they will not only stay clean but the wood ash will prevent lice and mites from getting on your chickens.
3. Algae controller – Some people like to use wood ashes in their fish ponds to help prevent algae from forming. Wood ash slows down the growth of algae.

Wood ashes and plants

We can help our plants thrive by ensuring their growing environment is perfect for them. One thing we can do is to check the soil they are planted in. Soil is given a pH value based on it’s measure of acidity or alkalinity. Soil pH directly affects the nutrients available to our plants. The pH scale ranges from zero to fourteen, with seven being neutral.  Numbers less than seven indicate acidity while numbers greater than seven indicate alkalinity.

In general a pH of 6.5 is perfect for most plants to thrive in, but if you want to be sure it’s best to consult a chart on your specific plant.

Wood ash is alkaline. This means we can raise our soil’s pH by using wood ash directly in the soil. To avoid altering the pH too drastically, it’s a good idea to take a soil sample before adding wood ash.

It is important to match a plant to the soil pH or to adjust the soil pH to a plant’s needs.

Alkaline loving plants

Fruiting vegetables, especially tomatoes do very well when wood ash is used. Other alkaline loving plants are pumpkins, cucumbers, pole beans, English peas and summer squash. Garlic also does well in slightly alkaline soil. A soil pH of 7.5 is the upper limit for all of these vegetables though. Asparagus is one of the few plants that can tolerate alkaline soil, with a tolerance up to pH 8.

Acid loving plants

Do not use wood ashes on acid loving plants like blueberries. Wood ashes will make the soil alkaline which is bad for blueberry growth. To some extent this applies to raspberries as well. Other plants that thrive in acidic soil are peanuts, cranberries, blackberries, and sweet potatoes.

Potatoes

Be careful not to use wood ashes on the soil around your potato plants. Potatoes could suffer from a disease called potato scab which is a yucky looking lesion that develops if the pH soil level goes above 5.5.

Ways to test your soil pH

The pH level of our soil is vital to the healthy growth of our plants. Healthy plants need to be able to get all the nutrients they need out of the soil but if the soil is too acidic or too alkaline they will not thrive. So, before you go sprinkling wood ashes on your soil, it’s a good idea to do an assessment first. Here are four test options for you to choose from.

1. Soil pH Meter. Buy an inexpensive pH meter like this one. They are simple to use and don’t require external power. You
   
   simply stick the probes into your soil and read the scale dial in just a few minutes. This one tests for soil pH, but also for soil moisture and sunlight level. It has a pH range from 3.5 to 8, so you can see if your soil is very acidic, very alkaline, or neutral. I like the idea of using a soil pH meter because you are not limited on the number of times you can test your soil as you are with test kits that you may purchase.
2. Send soil sample to a lab. This is going to be your most accurate option but also the most costly. You send a soil sample in to a lab where they run a diagnosis on it. Depending on what package you choose they will check not only for pH level but also, Salts, Sodium, CEC, Excess Lime, Organic Matter, Ammonium-N4-Nitrate-N, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfate-S, Zinc, Iron, Manganese, Copper, Boron, and Chloride. You may also be given the option to receive the lab’s recommendation on how to improve your soil. They call this process “amending”.  Lab tests vary in price from around $40 – $55.
3. Soil Tester Test Kit. I really like this option because it includes a soil pH preference list for over 450 plants. This kit is not expensive and you get 40 tests out of it. 10 tests each for pH, Nitrogen, Potash, and Phosphorus. The whole kit is color coordinated and easy to use. You mix distilled water with your soil sample, put it in the colored compartment with powder from a capsule, and wait just a couple of minutes. The results are easy to read because the colored chart is directly on the compartment.
4. Vinegar and Baking Soda. This might be the least accurate of all tests, but it is something you can do at home with two ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard. All you do is take a soil sample and divide it into two containers. I think that clear mason jars would work the best because you can see your experiment from every angle. In one container add 1/2 cup vinegar, stir gently and examine it. If there are bubbles then your soil is alkaline. In the second container add 1/2 cup of distilled water mixed with baking soda. Add this to the second container, stir gently and examine it. If there are bubbles then your soil is acidic. If on the other hand you don’t see many bubbles it means that your soil is probably neutral or at least close to it.

So, what do you think? Are any of these ideas on how to use your wood ashes new to you? What other ideas do you have that you can share with us in the comments? I’d love to hear what you come up with! Keepsm:)ing!