Before firing up the grill the night we had lamb burgers, Steve carried trowelsful of charcoal ash over to the garden and scattered it around the base of each plant. “It’s good for the plants,” he said, citing his Peace Corps housemate as the source of this knowledge.
It seemed as good a theory as any.
The next day, we went out to the garden center and bought a few marigolds for the garden and basil, Italian parsley, and lavender for me to put in containers. Steve was inside while I started repotting the herbs, but suddenly he came flying out the kitchen door and down the back steps.
“Where’s the trowel?” he said.
“I’m using it,” I said, continuing to load a container with potting mix.
“I need it,” he said. “Now!”
I handed it over, and he ran to the garden, where he began scraping at the dirt around the base of each plant. I started to laugh. “Something wrong?”
“Wood ash,” he said. “Not charcoal ash. Wood ash is what’s good for the plants. I just looked it up on the Web.” He pronounced us very lucky that he had not actually worked the stuff into the soil.
Score another point for Saint Internet, patron to inadvertent gardeners everywhere.
on May 31st, 2006 at 10:31 am
I put wood ashes in the compost pile, but I’ve never spread it on plants because I was afraid it would burn since you can make lye from wood ashes and rain water. Well not sodium hydroxide, but potassium hydroxide. I’m a nerd.
on May 31st, 2006 at 11:38 pm
That’s OK…a little nerdiness in the garden is just fine!
:-) Genie
on Jun 1st, 2006 at 1:03 pm
Just an FYI, charcoal ash should never be used in the garden, it contains many harmful ickies that won’t do the plants any good. Wood ash (from fireplace, firepit, bonfire, etc.) can be used, but remember it’s alkaline, : )
on Jun 1st, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Becky, that’s definitely good and helpful info. As far as Steve and I are concerned, we’re not putting down ANYthing unless it’s been thoroughly vetted by more than memory.
Thanks for stopping by!
:-) Genie
on Jun 2nd, 2006 at 7:49 am
For the record, I put the ash on top of the ground but didn’t work it in or water it in and was able to scrape it off the next day…bad move on my part. I’m still castigating myself over it (and it’s the harmful ickies that necessitated the quick removal). It doesn’t seem to have done any damage…assume/hope it doesn’t do anything dangerous to the fruit/veggies. Sigh.
on May 3rd, 2007 at 6:40 pm
I’ve got a lot of wood ash to get rid of. Who buys it or will take it?
on May 6th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
John, I actually have no idea — you might try the Freecycle listserv for your area and see if anyone will take it off your hands.
on May 21st, 2007 at 9:06 pm
What type of “ickies”? Charcoal is:
a. made from wood
b. something millions of people use to cook food on.
It’s not like it has nasty chemicals in it. It is alkaline, so alkaline loving plants should enjoy it.
Ken
on May 22nd, 2007 at 11:43 am
Well, Ken, to be fair, I usually use the charcoal that has lighter fluid infused into it…that can’t possibly be good for the plants. And also, I’m never sure which plants love the alkaline and which don’t. Do you know good resources for verifying that information?
on May 26th, 2007 at 4:56 am
Then you are not talking about charcoal, but briquettes. Real charcoal is just carbonized wood. Sold as “lump.” Yer right, those briquettes have all kinds of other crap in them (like real coal) that might throw your calculations off.
on May 26th, 2007 at 9:56 am
Clay, thanks for the clarification. Regardless, I’m still not going to put it on the garden…at least not anymore…
on May 31st, 2007 at 4:46 pm
No, I wouldn’t either. I do use real charcoal ash (from lump) in my compost, but wouldn’t use briquette ash anywhere but a landfill. The ash is from Anthracite coal and whatever the starch binders get turned into.
on May 31st, 2007 at 11:05 pm
Clay, ick. That’s totally nasty. It’s probably not particularly good for the food that’s cooked on it, either!
on Mar 19th, 2008 at 6:10 am
I don’t even cook on charcoal, I use Hickory, White Oak etc… smoking quality wood. (Much better taste!) Always burn it down to coals. Don’t allow it to smolder (cold fire) and don’t cook on a flaming fire.. (taste and wood
buy-products are an issue.)
Smoking any food on any type of wood/wood by-product (charcoal) pose a risk of cancer, just like breathing the air can also cause cancer (but the alternative to breathing is not breathing… I will take my chances)
on Mar 20th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Inadvertent cook, I like your attitude. We’re all going to go somehow…might as well enjoy some delicious food along the way!
on Mar 30th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I heat with wood so i find myself with a lot of wood ash. I live in a community with restrictions so the lawn has to look good and i have started taking wood ash spreading it thinly on my lawn and plants and lightly watering it in to keep it off the foliage. So far i have a very nice St Auguustine lawn and my plants are doing just fine. piles of ash will kill a plant so no clumps. I do have thin soils over a limestone base.
on Mar 30th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Richard, this is good info — thanks for sharing it.
on Apr 1st, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Charcoal briquettes are made from real charcoal. They take wood, grind it to sawdust, carbonize it and compress it into it’s briquette shape.
We’ve been using the leftover ash from our grill as fertilizer for years with no adverse affects.
on Apr 1st, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Andy, I guess the key is to actually read the labeling on the bag, right? I also tend to buy the stuff that’s soaked in starter fluid, too, so I wonder whether that has an adverse effect or not?
on Apr 2nd, 2008 at 11:19 am
No offense butit seems steve is a total dork, first he burns the flesh of dead animasl, then he compounds it by putting charcoal ashes in the garden, it seems that he should be put in a place where he can be watched closely
on Apr 5th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Georgino, well, to be fair, I was in full support of the burning the flesh of dead animals part. ‘Cause they were quite delicious dead animals!
on May 25th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
I am looking for clean wood ash in the Orlando area. Clean meaning no pesticides/paint on the tree where the wood came from/lighter fluid. Let me know if you have any to give away.
Thanks
on May 27th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Rachel, I really don’t have any idea on this one — not sure I can offer any suggestions. Maybe some other readers who are in your area can help you out?
on Jun 21st, 2008 at 8:46 am
Charcoal with starter fluid should be no problem since the starter is highly flammable and is probably completely gone before you even start cooking. Because it is volatile, any that doesn’t burn probably goes off with the smoke.
In the absence of definition of the term “ickies”, I will assume that cooking charcoal ash is fine in the garden, even if soaked before use with starter fluid.
on Jun 24th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Alan, thanks for the information.
on Jul 13th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I have a question? Is wood ash good for clay soil. We would like to put it on our garden this fall. I remember my Dad putting ash on the garden. I was concerned that with clay soil will ash make it more sticky and clumpy?
Thanks, RoxAnn
on Jul 16th, 2008 at 8:17 am
RoxAnn, I have no idea on this one…maybe someone else in the readership will know?
on Jul 22nd, 2008 at 5:40 am
charcoal is burnt wood mixed with coal dust and limestone so it becomes a slightly alkaline substance less harmful than buying fruits and vegetables from countries with unregulated pesticides.
on Jul 22nd, 2008 at 5:48 am
Science, excellent way to put it all in perspective!
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