using wood ash on soil

[greenmeany]

alright all, flowering for me is going to take another month or possibly 6 weeks so i figured id give some nutes to promote big buds. i have read up on wood ash which is high in potassium as well as other trace elements and may even contain a bit of phosphorous depending on which type of wood you burn. i know you arent supposed to use alot of it because it could create large ph swings as it will make soil more alkaline due to the calcium carbonate or sumthing to that extent. but, seeing as how the area im in has pretty acidic soil conditions as it is, sometimes even under 4.5, i feel i can use a bit more than normal. anyone have any experience using ashes? by the way, when i planted in mid may i used dolomotic lime to raise ph of the soil. this might be depleted by now seeing how it has rained a bunch of times during the grow season. im going to try ashes any way maybe about a few cups around the base of the plant and see if they uptake anything from them. the nutrients are supposedly very soluble and once it rains it may wash them away. but im hoping if i give them a lil bit of fertilizer/water directly after i have laid the ashes, then it will uptake both and the water will make it run just enough to reach the roots. i gut an 8 foot tall 6 ft wide bush thats going to need all the nutrients it can get so i figured id give this a try. ive already added a dry "super phosphate" which is 0-20-0 so i doubt phosphorous will be to much of an issue from here on out. lemme know what you guys think.

[GrtPlnsGrower]

In my area of the country there is a lot of tree rows being pushed out for more farm ground. They pile the trees up and burn them. The newly moved dirt along w/the ashes from the burnt brush pile make for some of the best growing you can ask for. I dont know if you can over do the ashes, as a brush pile 10 or 15 feet tall can make a lot of ash, and I have never overdosed a plant by planting directly in one. I just add bone and blood meal, to take care of the two other major ferts they seem to do well.

[cantharis]

greenmeany, I know you are aware of the importance of potassium in flowering, so supplementing your 0 - 20 - 0 with some K is definitely a good plan. Maybe adding wood ash with some extra lime would keep the pH to your liking, good idea. Good luck.

[greenmeany]

thanks guys. and yeah i do know the importance of the potassium. well not directly persay (something about keeping stomata open long enough to uptake nutrients or sumthing) and yeah ill give this a try. thatnks for the tip about the ashes grtplnsgrower. i have about a 5 gallon bucketful that im going to use as soon as the fireplace cools down. let you all know how this works because it will be a very very cheap fertilizer for us stingy growers!

[NorthBayNugs]

I would use some green sand (0-0-0.1) for your K. It also contains other trace elements that improve overall plant health. It's best to mix into your medium when planting but you can tea it or throw a few handfulls on top of soil. I would also recommend adding some Kelp meal to the mix for micronutrients (great catalyst).

Careful with the woodashes it will make your soil super alkaline. Go lightly.

You should also give up the chemical ferts. and go organic. It will improve flavor for sure.

[NorthBayNugs]

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organ...he-Garden.aspx

[cantharis]

Interesting, Nugs, so you really need to know what type of timber your ashes come from.

[cantharis]

Originally Posted by NorthBayNugs

You should also give up the chemical ferts. and go organic. It will improve flavor for sure.

Concur with that. My completely organic Russian comfrey fert has a good level of K.