Many have heard about what wood ash is and what it is. beneficial features, from relatives or neighbors in the summer cottage. Someone pours it out after each cleaning of the stove in the garden or adds it to flower pots, however, you need to be more careful with this fertilizer: without certain knowledge, you should not scatter it everywhere at random, otherwise it will turn out, instead of benefit, to cause serious harm to the plants.
It is known that ash is called the incombustible residue of combustion products: what remains after a fire, in a stove or fireplace, when branches and leaves are burned, etc. compost heap tops, grass, leaves and stems will eventually give an excellent organic fertilizer, and the ash obtained as a result of burning the same material will bring its huge plus, because it is also a valuable micronutrient fertilizer for cultivated plants... Therefore, you should not throw all the garbage from the garden behind the fence or stack it exclusively for decay.
Ash is not only an excellent source of minerals, it also:
- improves the properties of acidic soils;
- helps earth microorganisms to quickly convert organic matter into useful elements for plants;
- accelerates the growth of seedlings;
- effectively fights insect pests and different kinds diseases.
The use of ash powder in the garden is more necessary than possible. But not any. When burning household waste, painted boards with varnished, newspapers and magazines with bright pictures, etc., a very harmful ash is obtained, containing dangerous chemical compounds that will kill the plants.
It is interesting that burning natural harmless residues: tops, branches, grass - completely different ash is obtained, differing in the composition of microelements. For example, wood ash from soft species (aspen, linden, alder, pine, spruce) contains more calcium than hard (oak, poplar, elm, larch, ash). Young wood, stems of sunflowers, buckwheat, wheatgrass roots are leaders in the amount of potassium, in contrast to old trees.
After burning plant material, not only calcium and potassium pass into ash, but all the positive elements (except nitrogen) contained in the burning raw materials: silicon, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sulfur, manganese and a huge list of vital and useful elements. Each of them plays an invaluable role in the growth and development of plants: they help to assimilate vitamins, increase resistance to diseases and weather changes, regulate water balance, and significantly improve soil uniformity.
Some people know ash exclusively as a phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, where phosphorus helps the sprouts to grow quickly and develop normally throughout the entire period, and potassium is responsible for the immunity of crops. However, the correct development of the root system is also important, for which calcium is entrusted. The ash of burnt peat bogs is rich in calcium, which provides optimal development root system.
The great advantage of ash is the complete absence of chlorine in its composition, to which many garden plants react negatively. But potash (K2O) mixed with ash is an ideal top dressing for everyone. Potash in ash is formed by burning stems of sunflowers and Jerusalem artichoke tops.
As a fertilizer for plants, it is required to prepare an ash solution p: 150 g of ash is dissolved in a 10-liter bucket of water and the finished suspension is immediately poured into the grooves or holes where the plants will be planted, then the plots must be sprinkled with a layer of earth. The ready-made solution should not be stored, since the beneficial properties will soon disappear - a fresh solution must be prepared for each procedure.
When planting seedlings of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant and cabbage, it is necessary to pour 50 ml of ash solution under each plant.
Spraying with an ash and soap solution is necessary to destroy harmful insects and sores, as well as as a prophylaxis. Prepare it like this: 300 g of powder in not a large number water should boil for 30 minutes, and when the broth has settled, it is filtered and water is added to make 10 liters. Many people add any soap for the best adhesion - 40 g will be enough. Evening calm weather is ideal for spraying. They are processed no more than 3 times a month.
The formula for preparing a universal ash solution for all cultures requires certain knowledge: in 1 tsp. - 2 g of ash, in 1 tbsp. l. - 6 g, in 1 matchbox- 10 g of powder, in 1 glass - 100 g, in liter jar- 500 g of ash.
What plants need
Fly ash, as it turned out, has three predominant beneficial components: potassium, calcium and magnesium. The use of ash is justified only by the lack of these substances in the ground:
- leaves and fruits are deformed and stained, flowers and buds fall off, top part shoots die off, the plant stops growing - there is not enough calcium;
- the leaves curl up, dry out from the edges and wither, the smell of roses disappears - a lack of magnesium.
Excess elements:
- the leaves turn pale green, and then completely fall off, the pulp of apples and pears turns brown - a lot of potassium;
- leaves also fall, shoots die off, chlorosis is noticed - excess calcium;
- the roots die off, which leads to difficulty in the absorption of calcium - an excess of magnesium.
Before adding ash powder, you need to carefully examine the plants and find out whether they really lack useful ash microelements or, on the contrary, their excess is noticeable.
Application for garden crops
Ash is a fertilizer that is used to alkalize acidic soils before plowing, as well as when planting seedlings and tubers, while feeding grown plants. Root feeding is carried out in conjunction with watering.
In addition, any seeds can be soaked in the ash infusion to stimulate growth before planting. For infusion, take 3 tbsp. l. ash, dissolve in 1 liter of water and insist for a week, periodically shaking the jar for even dissolution. The solution is filtered and diluted 1 to 3 with water before use.
Ash powder is pollinated on potatoes before planting(1 kg to about 30-40 kg of tubers), sprinkle the fleshy cuts of flowers when dividing, scatter them under vegetable crops to protect against pests, dust plants damaged from diseases.
The effectiveness of the impact of ash when it is introduced into the soil does not pass within 3 years.
Ash powder will protect cabbage from black legs and keels. It is useful for cucumbers, zucchini and squash: 1 tbsp. l. powder is added to the well when planting crops or 1 glass per sq. m during digging.
When planting eggplants, tomatoes and sweet peppers, add 3 tbsp. l. ash into the holes and mixed with earth or add 3 glasses per sq. m.
The powder has a beneficial effect on plums and cherries: fertilizer is added to the planting pits and pollinated tree trunks with it. It is also useful to feed it with ash once every 3 years: a groove no more than 15 cm deep is dug along the perimeter of the tree crown, ash is poured there or a solution is poured in (dissolving 2 glasses in 10 liters of water). The groove is covered with earth. In general, an adult tree takes about 2 kg of ash powder.
It is enough to add 3 glasses of ash under the currant bush. For tomatoes, cabbage and cucumbers, 500 ml of solution per bush is enough. On the plots for root crops and greens (beets, carrots, radishes, lettuce, parsley, dill, etc.), add 1 glass of ash per 1 sq. m. The grapes are fed no more than 4 times a summer, sprinkling the leaves with an ash solution in the evening. For strawberries, you need 1 glass of powder per 1 sq. m before flowering.
Ash is used all year round:
- in the spring, for digging, they are introduced into the ground and when planting seedlings;
- fertilization with ash in the fall - also before processing the site or simply scattered on the ground;
- in the summer, a universal top dressing is made from the ashes;
- in winter they are scattered over the snowdrifts to speed up the melting of snow.
Excellent results are obtained by combining it with humus or peat. When adding ash to compost pit decomposition of waste will be much faster. Even more effective is to sprinkle the ash layer by layer, which will provide a super-useful unique fertilizer for the next season, suitable for all crops.
However, you should not mix ash with manure, ammonium nitrate or poultry droppings, in this case nitrogen loss will occur and the plants will grow very slowly.
Use in the fight against insects
A few tips for using ash as a protector clearly won't hurt anyone. For example, few people know that by scattering ash around plants in the evening, you can protect them from slugs and snails. And the most popular method - dusting crops from seedlings to full-size ones will allow them to get rid of various pests and diseases for a long time. Pollination is also a foliar feeding.
It is enough to sprinkle ashes on strawberries after flowering to protect them from gray rot (10 g per bush).
It is better to do the processing early in the morning., until the dew has dried, but you can moisten the crops yourself before pollination.
In order to prevent bacterial and fungal sores, plants are powdered with a mixture of ash, charcoal and calcined sand in equal proportions.
Spraying the plant with an ash and soap solution is effective. Processing is carried out up to 3 times a month.
Ash must be stored in a dry room in a cloth bag or other container, since water removes all useful elements from the powder and thereby reduces the value of the fertilizer.
Different soils have their own ash
Sandy, boggy and soddy-podzolic soils need to apply ash in the spring of 100 g per 1 m² - this will fully compensate for the lack of boron in plants.
For all types of soil, except for alkaline soils, straw and wood ash is suitable. Alkaline fertilizer will be especially useful for soils depleted in microelements, in particular, potassium and phosphorus, as it enriches and improves the structure of the soil, actively reducing acidity, which has a positive effect on yield for more than one year. Peat ash will help neutralize acidity (half a kilogram per meter).
Is it possible to fertilize indoor plants
For indoor flowers, feeding with ash infusion is very important.: 3 tbsp. l. organic powder is dissolved in 1 liter of water and left for a week, shaking occasionally. Before use, the strained solution is diluted with water 1 to 3 and the plants are watered: 100 ml - per 1 liter pot.
It is already known that wood ash as a fertilizer for indoor plants helps in the fight against small pests. Dusting flowers or spraying with a solution helps (after spraying, you need to hide the plants from the sun for 5 days).
Garden roses are most fond of ash dressings. They can also be watered with an ash solution (100 g of ash is dissolved in 10 liters of water) and the leaves can be sprayed (200 g of ash are dissolved in 10 liters of water).
Fly ash is perfect for peonies, gladioli, clematis and lilies. The same infusion is used then for indoor flowers. It will be useful to add 10 g of ash to each hole when planting plants.
When not to use fertilizer
Ash harms plants that prefer acidic soil (hydrangea, rhododendron, blueberry, cranberry, azalea, heather, etc.).
Also, you cannot use it with nitrogen-containing fertilizers (manure, poultry droppings, ammonium nitrate, urea) introduced before, because nitrogen eliminates almost all the beneficial properties of ash.
If the soil contains a lot of alkali, the ash is also prohibited for use as fertilizer.
What can be replaced
With acidified soil in the country and no ash at hand you can use alternative options: lime fluff or dolomite flour... Flour is added in an amount: half a kilo per 1 sq. m with acidic soils and 100 g less with moderately acidic; lime is also half a kilogram per 1 sq. m with acidic soil and 200 g less with medium acid.
Ash is not just a universal fertilizer. At correct use which you can achieve amazing results: the plants will look gorgeous, the harvest will delight you with large healthy fruits and complete absence pests and infections.
It is important to note that ash powder is non-chemical, absolutely pure and safe remedy, tested and used by grandfathers and great-grandfathers from time immemorial. Plus it's free!
Have a wonderful harvest!
During all summer season on the personal plot plant waste accumulates - dry stems and leaves remaining after harvesting, as well as branches cut from trees and shrubs. The best way to dispose of waste is by putting it in a compost heap. This method allows you to get excellent organic fertilizer next year.
Unfortunately, not all plant residues are suitable for compost. Large branches and parts of plants infected with diseases and pests will still have to be burned. Well, the ash obtained from burning plant residues can also be used, and not only as fertilizer, but also for plant protection.
It is necessary to collect ash immediately after incineration, without allowing it to get wet. Wet ash very quickly loses its useful properties, so it must be stored in bags or containers under a canopy or in a utility room free from dampness.
Ash chemical composition
Probably everyone knows the fact that ash is a source of potassium. But really chemical composition ash is much richer, and it depends on what plants or wood residues the ash was obtained from. Potassium, calcium and phosphorus are the main chemical elements in ash. But at the same time:
- in deciduous tree species (and especially in burnt birch wood) there is more potassium
- Jerusalem artichoke and sunflower ash consists of potash (K2O)
- there is a lot of calcium in the ash of burnt peat bogs.
In addition to the main three elements, ash contains trace elements boron, iron, manganese, and molybdenum. Micronutrient deficiencies tend to negatively impact crop quality and plant health. The introduction of ash is able to compensate for this deficiency in the best possible way.
An important feature of ash is that it does not contain chlorine. After all, some crops, such as potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, do not react well to potash fertilizers which in different quantities contain chlorine (potassium magnesium, potassium salt, sylvinite, potassium chloride). Ash and potash will help restore the mineral balance for these crops.
The disadvantage of ash as a fertilizer can be considered the lack of nitrogen, which promotes plant growth. Other nitrogen-containing fertilizers will help fill this deficiency. Only the use of ash in combination with other fertilizers is also necessary correctly.
Ash as fertilizer - how to apply, what to mix with
Wood ash can be applied to the soil of any composition, both in the fall for digging, and in the spring, directly into the holes. However, on light sandy soils, ash fertilization is effective only in spring... The effect of the fertilizer is noticeable for 3-4 years after application to the soil. Application rate - 100-200 g per sq.m. If you add ash when planting potatoes directly into the holes, then you need to take about 2 tablespoons per bush, be sure to mix with the ground. For tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, take 3 tablespoons for each bush.
Acidic soils react especially well to the introduction of ash: decreases, creates favorable conditions for the development of beneficial microflora, the structure and physical properties soil.
Good results are obtained by mixing ash with peat or humus. If you add it to the compost heap, decomposition will be faster. But it is categorically impossible to mix ash with fresh manure and poultry droppings, because this leads to a loss of nitrogen and inhibition of plant growth. The same applies to ammonium nitrate: when mixing ash and nitrate, you immediately feel the pungent smell of ammonia.
Using ash for disease and pest control
Dry ash
Amazing disinfectants and medicinal properties ash has been known to people for a long time. Strawberries are pollinated with dry ash powder immediately after flowering, which greatly reduces gray mold infestation. Other crops can also be pollinated with ash: cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, berries and fruit plantations. This is done in the early morning, until the dew has melted, or by first spraying the plants with water.
Potatoes intended for storage are powdered with ash to prevent the development of late blight. In this case, the disease will not be transmitted from diseased tubers to healthy ones, and rodents also do not like such powdered potatoes. If the tubers need to be divided into several parts before planting, then these parts are dried in the open air and sprinkled with ash.
To prevent disease and treat plants from dry ash, they are mixed with charcoal and calcined sand in equal proportions. Plants are powdered with this mixture and sprinkled with soil.
Dry ash is also used to scare away. In the evening, it is generously scattered around those plants that so attract uninvited guests.
Ash solution
To prepare an ash solution used as fertilizer, you need to take 100-150 g of ash in a bucket of water. Stirring continuously, the prepared suspension is poured into furrows or holes and immediately sprinkled with a layer of earth. For seedlings of tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, it is necessary to make about 0.5 liters of solution per plant.
Ash extract, designed to treat plants from diseases and pests, is prepared at the rate of 300-400 g per 10 liters of water. First, pour the ash with a small amount of boiling water and boil for another 30 minutes. The settled solution is drained, 40-50 g of soap (dry shavings or liquid) is added and diluted with water to a volume of 10 liters. You need to spray the plants in the evening, in dry weather. An ash hood is used to protect against aphids and powdery mildew.
How to determine how much ash to take for a solution? - In a 0.5-liter jar there will be about 250 g, in a faceted glass - 100 g, in a tablespoon - 6 g.
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Not sure how to use wood ash on site? In this article, we will explain in detail how to properly feed different crops using regular ash.
Wood ash contains about 30 minerals in an accessible form, which are necessary for the proper development of plants. Moreover, in such valuable fertilizer there is no chlorine, therefore, it is recommended to use ash for feeding plants that react negatively to this element: strawberries, raspberries, currants, potatoes. Also, all pumpkin seeds, cabbage, beets, tomatoes and cucumbers respond well to the introduction of wood ash.
But keep in mind: plants that like acidic soil (for example, blueberries, cranberries, lingonberries, azalea, camellia, rhododendron) cannot tolerate ash.
Ash is stove (from burnt wood) and vegetable ash. Ash from firewood and logs, which are free of mold and various impurities from combustion, is considered environmentally friendly and suitable for use as fertilizer. plastic film, synthetics, rubber, colored paper, etc. From tree species potassium trees are found most of all in the ash of deciduous crops, especially birch. It is recommended to use it as a fertilizer for the garden.
Also valuable ash is obtained by burning herbaceous plants such as sunflower and buckwheat. They contain up to 36% potassium oxide. And the least potassium and phosphorus in peat ash, but there is a lot of calcium.
Firewood and plant debris are best burned in a large iron box with high walls to prevent the ash from being blown away by the wind.
Do not feed with wood ash obtained from the incineration of household waste.
After burning wood or plants, the ash is collected and stored in a dry place in wooden box with a tight sealed lid. Plastic bags for storing ash are not suitable as moisture condenses in them.
How much ash is contained in different containers:
Wood ash is used in dry and liquid form. In the first case, the ash is simply embedded in the soil as fertilizer, and in the second, ash infusions and solutions are prepared from it.
How to prepare ash solution
In order not to harm the plants, but to help them develop correctly, you need to know how to dilute ash for feeding. This is not at all difficult to do: 1 glass of ash should be stirred in a bucket (10 L) of water. This liquid is usually watered root plants instead of industrial mineral fertilizer... Before use, the resulting solution must be thoroughly shaken out, as a precipitate forms in it.
How to prepare an infusion of ash
Ashes can be infused to prepare nutritional benefits for plants. To do this, the bucket is 1/3 filled with ash, it is poured to the very edges hot water and insist for two days. After that, the infusion is filtered and used for root feeding or spraying of horticultural crops.
You need to spray the plants in the evening in calm weather. Such processing can be done 2-3 times a month.
Foliar top dressing with ash
Foliar feeding can be carried out not only with ash infusion, but also with a decoction. To do this, sift 300 g of ash, pour boiling water and boil for 25-30 minutes. Then the broth is cooled, filtered and diluted with 10 liters of water. To make the dressing better adhere to the leaves, you need to add 40-50 g of laundry soap to it.
Spraying with ash broth helps protect crops from diseases and pests, in particular from wireworms, aphids, cruciferous fleas, nematodes, slugs, and snails.
Using ash in the garden
When feeding vegetables with ash, the first step is to take into account the acidity level of the soil. Alkaline soil is not fertilized with ash, because this will lead to even more alkalization. But the introduction of ash into an acidic earth makes its reaction close to neutral.
Feeding seedlings with ash
To accelerate the growth of seedlings, it must be pollinated. thin layer ash every 8-10 days. This procedure will also protect the plants from pests. When 2-3 true leaves appear on the plants, they should be powdered with a mixture of ash and tobacco dust (in equal proportions). This will scare away the cabbage fly, cruciferous flea, and other insects from the seedlings.
Also, when planting seedlings in the ground, 1-2 tablespoons must be added to each hole. dry ash. This fertilization will fertilize the soil and help the plants to take root better.
Ash can also be scattered around the plants and in the aisles.
Feeding ash plants in the greenhouse
The ash solution is most often used for watering vegetables (primarily cucumbers) grown in a greenhouse. In protected ground, root dressing is usually carried out: 0.5-1 liters of liquid ash fertilizer are consumed per plant.
Feeding cucumbers with ash
Cucumbers are especially deficient in potassium and calcium during the period of ovary formation. Therefore, in order to improve the ripening of fruits, at the beginning of flowering, plants are watered with an infusion of ash (0.5 liters for each bush). Top dressing is repeated every 10 days.
Cucumbers grown in open ground, additionally fed by the foliar method: sprayed with ash broth so that the entire leaf plate is covered with a gray bloom. During the period of active growth and budding, 3-4 feeding is carried out per month.
Top dressing with ash tomato and peppers
When growing tomatoes and peppers, during digging of the soil, 3 glasses of ash are added per 1 square meter, and when planting seedlings of these crops - a handful in each hole. Also, ash can be applied under peppers and tomatoes throughout the growing season. Before each watering, the soil under the bushes is sprinkled with ash, and after moistening the soil is loosened.
Top dressing with onion and garlic ash
Onion and garlic with autumn digging 2 glasses of ash per square meter are introduced into the soil, and in the spring - 1 glass per square meter. These crops are prone to root rot, and the introduction of wood ash into the ground prevents the growth of putrefactive bacteria.
Also, onions and garlic can be fed with infusion of ash under the root or watered with grooves. But this is done no more than three times per season.
Feeding potatoes with ash
When planting potatoes, 2 tablespoons are added under the tuber in each hole. ash. When digging the soil, use 1 glass of ash per sq.m. During the growing season, at the first hilling of potatoes, 1-2 tablespoons are introduced under each bush. ash, and with the second hilling (at the beginning of budding), the rate is increased to 1/2 cup under a bush. It is also useful to spray potatoes over the leaves with ash broth.
Ash can be sprinkled with potato tubers themselves during planting - this will protect them from wireworm
Feeding cabbage with ash
Under cabbage different types when digging, 1-2 glasses of ash per square meter are brought in, and when planting seedlings - a handful in each hole. And ash perfectly protects the representatives of the Cruciferous family from pests: the plants are sprayed with infusion over the leaves. The number of treatments depends on the weather conditions: if it rains, the leaves need to be pollinated more often.
Top dressing with ashes of carrots and beets
Before sowing these crops, 1 glass of ash per sq.m. is embedded in the soil. After sprouting, it is necessary to sprinkle the carrot and beet beds with ash once a week before watering the plants.
Feeding zucchini with ash
1 glass of ash per 1 square meter is introduced under the zucchini while digging the soil, 1-2 tbsp. - in each hole when planting seedlings, and on depleted soils during the growing season, plants are additionally fertilized during watering: use 1 glass of ash per sq. M.
The use of ash in the garden
With the help of wood ash, trees and shrubs can be protected from diseases and pests, such as powdery mildew, bud mites, moth, cherry sawfly, etc. For this, plants are sprayed with a decoction prepared according to the same recipe as for foliar dressing vegetables. Do this in the evening in calm weather.
Ash is also good as a fertilizer that stimulates plant growth and improves their immunity.
Feeding strawberries with ash
Strawberries ( garden strawberries) sprinkle with sifted ash at the rate of 10-15 g per bush immediately after flowering. This prevents the spread of gray mold. If this procedure has to be repeated, then the ash is consumed in half.
Garden strawberries, fed with ash fertilizer, give large quantity peduncles and, accordingly, berries.
Dry ash also protects garden strawberries from pests
Top dressing of grapes with ash
The grapes are fed 3-4 times per season: a decoction of ash is sprayed onto the leaves of plants after sunset. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that all sheet plates are evenly covered with it.
However, the grape vines themselves can be a good top dressing. In autumn, after the end of fruiting, all cut off shoots (they must be absolutely healthy) are burned. The resulting ash (1 kg) is poured with 3 buckets of water and allowed to brew. The resulting product is stored in a cool place for no longer than a month, stirring occasionally. Before use, the infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 5 and shavings of laundry soap are added there.
Top dressing with ash of trees and bushes
When planting seedlings fruit trees and shrubs into the soil to a depth of 8-10 cm, 100-150 g of ash per 1 sq. m. are embedded. Such feeding contributes to the rapid adaptation of plants to new conditions and the early development of the root system.
Mature trees and shrubs are fed with ash every 4 years: in each trunk circle make about 2 kg of ash.
In order to prevent diseases and pests, it is useful to spray fruit and berry plants with ash infusion on the leaves.
Feeding flowers with ash
Ash fertilizer is especially useful for roses, lilies, clematis, gladioli and peonies. When planting seedlings flower crops 5-10 g of ash are laid out in each well.
Flowers that have been attacked by pests are evenly powdered with ash infusion (with the addition of soap). This is done in the morning in calm weather in the dew or after rain. During dry periods, plants can be sprayed with room temperature water prior to treatment.
Now you know how to prepare top dressing from ash and how to use it correctly in the garden, garden and flower garden. This organic fertilizer is not only good for plants, but also safe for people and pets.
Wood ash, due to the presence of various elements in its composition, has many useful properties, therefore it can be used as fertilizer for many types of plants. This top dressing is suitable for everyone vegetable crops and different types soil. In the article, we will consider when the use of ash for the garden is advisable, and under what conditions it is better not to apply it.
Features of the chemical composition of wood ash
Burnt Wood contains the following chemical substances(approximate data):
- 17% CaCO3 (calcium carbonate). Improves the migration of substances in tissues and stabilizes the course of biochemical processes. Calcium carbonate is used to make flower buds larger and more lush;
- 15% Na3PO4 (sodium orthophosphate);
- 14% CaSO4 (calcium sulfate). Used when fertilizing seedlings during the formation of green mass;
- 16.5% CaSiO3 (calcium silicate). Reacts with pectin, strengthening cell connections, improves the absorption of trace elements;
- 13% K3PO4 (potassium orthophosphate). With the help of a substance, the water balance of the plant is regulated;
- 12% CaCl2 (calcium chloride). Promotes the activation of the process of photosynthesis and the formation of enzymes, improves the migration of nutrients;
- 4% MgCO3 (magnesium carbonate);
- 4% MgSO4 (magnesium sulfate). It is used in the synthesis of carbohydrates required for the formation of cellulose and starch. For example, the taproot of a rose needs this salt;
- 4% MgSO4 (magnesium silicate);
- 0.5% NaCl (sodium chloride). Accelerates the growth of some crops (pumpkins, zucchini, cucumbers), promotes water retention in plant cells and the consumption of this moisture during drought. Sodium also activates the work of some enzymes, which are not affected by other ash components. Plants need this element in a limited amount, so 0.5% of the substance is quite enough.
Wood ash contains many beneficial plant chemicals
Advice. Wood ash can be used to give hydrangea flowers a blue color.
How to properly fertilize the soil with wood ash
For getting high yield and optimal plant growth, a number of specific requirements must be taken into account in the feeding process. At the same time, much depends on the type of soil used. It is recommended to add fertilizer to clay and loamy soils in autumn period, in sandy loam and peaty - in the spring. The ash can be used for digging, but it is more advisable to put the ash into the grooves before planting the plants.
Dry ash application rates - 100-200 g / sq. m of vegetable garden
When calculating the amount of fertilizer, the area of the site is taken into account. To the garden small size take 1-2 buckets of ash. Application rate - 100-200 g / sq. m. Here are the weight ratios: in a faceted glass - 100 g of ash, in a liter jar - 500 g. To prepare a liquid fertilizer, you need 1 glass of ash per bucket of water. The finished solution, stirring constantly, must be carefully poured into the recesses and covered with earth. For cabbage and tomatoes, 0.5 l of the mixture is required per plant.
Advice. Burned wood must be stored in a dry place (in a closed building in plastic bags), because due to moisture, useful substances are lost, for example, potassium and trace elements.
Features of using ash
Wood ash - effective remedy to combat various pests (aphids, flea beetles, scoops,) and fungal diseases of plants. Dusting of crops is performed in the morning if there is dew on the leaves. Alternatively, you can pre-spray the plants and follow the specified procedure. For prophylactic spraying of plants, a solution is prepared. Pour boiling water over 300 g of ash and boil for 20-30 minutes. Then put the solution for a while, let it settle, strain and dilute with water (10 l) with the addition of 50 g of soap. Spraying is carried out in the evening in dry weather.
Wood ash is poured at the base of the plant in the morning or evening
To fight slugs and snails, ash must be scattered on the ground around the plants. Some gardeners prepare an infusion of ash with herbal decoction. It helps to overcome powdery mildew, leaf spot, black stalk, etc. Processing is carried out in the morning or in the evening.
Ash is also used for compost enrichment. Ash must be poured over each layer of fertilizer. As a result, the mass activates the reproduction of beneficial microorganisms that form various nutrients.
Attention! It is highly undesirable to use ash formed during the incineration of garbage, painted and impregnated wood, as well as coal. Such a product can be very harmful due to the content of hazardous chemicals and heavy metals. During the fertilization process, be very careful not to get ash into the eyes and respiratory tract.
When wood ash cannot be used
Let's list the conditions under which the use of ash is considered harmful or simply inappropriate:
- Do not add wood ash and humus to the soil at the same time. It is better to add ashes to the soil in spring, and compost before the beginning of the winter period.
- It is not recommended to combine ash with phosphate fertilizers (fresh manure, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, must be applied at least a month after adding ash).
- When feeding acidophilic plants (azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons, blueberries, heathers, cranberries), burned wood cannot be used, since it reduces acidity.
- It is possible to introduce ash into the soil for fertilizing seedlings only after the formation of third leaves on the shoots (the salts that make up the ash have a harmful effect on very young shoots). In addition, it is necessary to ensure that it does not come into contact with wood ash, as this causes burns, the development of diseases, and also leads to a deterioration in the adaptation of plants to the place of planting. When added, the fertilizer must be thoroughly mixed with the soil;
- For feeding turnip and wood ash is not used, since it reduces the yield of plants.
Advice. The most valuable is the ash obtained from burning sunflower and buckwheat. The product may contain 36% potassium oxide. Peat ash contains a lot of calcium, but little potassium and phosphorus.
As you can see, wood ash is a truly universal fertilizer that can be used to improve the fertility of the land and to overcome various pests plants. Taking into account the above requirements and recommendations, each gardener-gardener has the opportunity to increase the yield and the condition of crops with insignificant costs.
Caring for ornamental and fruit and berry crops includes the mandatory use of fertilizers represented by organic and inorganic compounds. Wood ash is one of the most tried and tested products. When burning branches and leaves, you can not only clean the area in the fall, but also stock up on valuable fertilizers.
Raw materials and methods for producing ash
The chemical composition of the ash residue includes combustion products of tree trunks, bark, deciduous and stem parts of plants. As a raw material for ash production, not only wood is used, but charcoal.
Mineral composition
The use of wood ash promotes the active assimilation of mineral substances by plants immediately after application. Organic fertilizers first you have to rotate.
The chemical composition includes mixtures of salts of alkali, alkaline earth metals and iron, belonging to a wide group of carbonates, sulfates, phosphates and silicates. Outwardly, it has a color from white to gray, sometimes contains "rusty" inclusions due to the presence of ferrous compounds in the composition.
Properties of mineral constituents
Wood ash in the form of fertilizer is relevant for most garden and indoor plants. Its components in the form of a solution have a complex effect on the development fruit trees, shrubs and houseplants.
Chemical composition:
- Calcium is the main growth stimulant, especially necessary when plants are gaining green mass.
- Sodium is an element that activates a number of enzymes that are indifferent to the presence of other elements in the ash residue. It normalizes the water balance of cells and provides alkalization of the soil.
- Potassium maintains the alkalinity of ash solutions and favors the growth of horticultural crops and indoor plants.
- Phosphorus is essential for the proper functioning of heat-loving plants such as grapes. In order for this element to actively pass into the soil from the solution, the latter must be periodically mixed, since orthophosphates quickly precipitate at the bottom of the container.
- Magnesium is part of the chemical composition of chlorophyll, which is involved in the production of oxygen.
- Silicon is presented in the form of silicates and helps cells to adhere to each other. Its beneficial properties are to increase the assimilable proportion of trace elements contained in the soil.
Table 1: Contents of the main elements
In addition to the main components in the composition of ash, more than 30 elements were found participating in the life of fruit and decorative crops... Their properties appear at various stages of development. They contribute to maintaining healthy appearance, prevent the withering away of foliage, fruit and root systems.
Ash applications
There are many approaches to soil fertilization garden plot and vegetable gardens, differing in labor intensity, material consumption and composition of fertilizers. There are 3 most common ways to add ash to the soil:
- Uniform scattering on the site followed by digging is carried out in the fall and is effective for fertilizing the land over the entire area of the site and the garden, prepared for spring planting.
- Backfill in a hole intended for seeds or seedlings. The presence of ash along with seeds and tubers not only increases the nutritional properties of the soil, but also protects the seed from pests. When processing trees, grooves 10–20 cm deep are dug, designed to hold the nutrient medium near the roots. Mixing with the soil increases its fertility for indoor plants.
- Irrigation with an aqueous solution of ash ensures the fastest and most deep penetration minerals in the soil. If the solution is poured on top of the foliage, and not at the root, then the likelihood of developing diseases and the appearance of pests is reduced. The composition of the suspension for irrigation includes 2 glasses (200 g) of the ash mixture per bucket of water (10 L).
The composition and properties of dry ash are such that it practically does not sink in water, being 2 times lighter than it. A teaspoon holds about 2 g of ash, in a dining room - 6 g, and in a classic faceted glass - 100 g.
Material consumption
The amount of mixture needed to achieve the maximum fertilization effect depends on the type of soil, plant variety and method of application. To determine the required amount of ash, use the approximate consumption rates:
- potatoes - 10-12 g of ash under the tuber, pre-mixed with the ground. In autumn, the landing site can be sprinkled on top with a dry ash mixture (1 glass per 1m 2). During the growing season and hilling of potatoes, wood ash is applied under the bush in an amount of up to 50 g;
- zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers require the same autumn preparation soil, like potatoes. It is recommended to carry out intermediate soil treatment in the process of ripening once - 1 glass per 1 m 2, followed by abundant watering;
- tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, cabbage - 3 cups per 1 m 2 while digging a plot in the fall and 1-2 tablespoons in a hole with seeds. During the growing period, cabbage should be additionally sprinkled with ash on top. It will protect the crop from pests and increase the fertility of the upper soil layer after watering;
- for small crops (beans, peas, radishes), one glass per 1 m 2 is enough during digging in autumn or spring to ensure uniform soil saturation;
- onions and garlic - 2 cups of wood ash in the fall, 1 glass in the spring for 1m 2. The specific growth properties of onions and garlic require not so much nutritional composition as protection from rot. To more saturate the soil before planting, you can water it with an ash solution;
- fruit and decorative trees and shrubs - 2-3 kg of ash is introduced into grooves dug along the perimeter, which are covered with earth and watered abundantly with water. Fertilizing is recommended every 3-4 years. Ash will protect wood from pests and pathogenic microbes, increase the supply of minerals to the root system;
- indoor flowers - when planting, it is enough to mix 2 tbsp with the ground. l. ash per pot. The resulting soil composition should be renewed every 1–2 years to maintain flower growth and prevent pests.
Acidophilic plants requiring acidic soil (cranberries, blueberries, camellias) cannot tolerate the strong alkalinization (pH increase) of ash. For such species, separate areas are needed that will have suitable composition soil.
Wood ash - affordable and effective fertilization used by all gardeners, gardeners and farmers. It successfully replaces artificial chemical feeding. The introduction of ash into the soil for summer cottage in spring and autumn, it allows not only periodically "feeding" trees and shrubs, but also solves the problem of utilizing plant waste, which remains in large quantities after kindling the stove and trimming the garden. Houseplants also need fertilizers, one of the types of which is wood ash introduced into the soil.