What do YOU do with fireplace ashes?

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Dalecamino

Dalecamino

Local Chapter Leader
Joined
Jan 2, 2008
Messages
14,632
Location
Indianapolis, In.
I read somewhere that, ashes were good for garden soil. I don't have a garden because, our ground is clay. But, my neighbor has two above ground gardens. When I asked him if he would like for me to add some ashes to the dirt during the winter he, just looked at me for several seconds then, got an expression on his face that, I thought he was thinking......"Don't be stupid" Didn't say a word :confused: So.....I took that as a NO!!!:rolleyes:

Is there another good use for the ashes? Maybe a polishing compound for pens? :wink::biggrin:
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
You could cast them and then turn the blank... I saw at a funeral home they kind of do that with ashes of loved ones. They put them glass I think...
Brian
 
Wood ash can be used as a substitute for lime with acidic soils. But a little bit goes a long way. And, if your neighbor's next crop is a dud you can guess who he's going to blame if you put ashes in their garden.

I would just throw them away. But you could use them to make soap or you can use them to melt ice at your northern retreat.

Here's a thought. If the winter is just too much for you and you want to take a break in a tropical location you could try this:

Put the ashes in a box and mail it to the Director of the FBI. Make sure to include your return address but no other information. Before you know it you may find yourself on an all expense paid trip to the tropics. But I don't know if all the rooms at gitmo have a water view, so you may not want to do this (for that and lots of other reasons).

As good as all that sounds, I still say throw them away.

How's those Artic Vortexes working out for you? At least you didn't move to Buffalo!!

Ed
 
parklandturner said:
Wood ash can be used as a substitute for lime with acidic soils. But a little bit goes a long way. And, if your neighbor's next crop is a dud you can guess who he's going to blame if you put ashes in their garden.

I would just throw them away. But you could use them to make soap or you can use them to melt ice at your northern retreat.

Here's a thought. If the winter is just too much for you and you want to take a break in a tropical location you could try this:

Put the ashes in a box and mail it to the Director of the FBI. Make sure to include your return address but no other information. Before you know it you may find yourself on an all expense paid trip to the tropics. But I don't know if all the rooms at gitmo have a water view, so you may not want to do this (for that and lots of other reasons).

As good as all that sounds, I still say throw them away.

How's those Artic Vortexes working out for you? At least you didn't move to Buffalo!!

Ed
Click to expand...
Ed....sometimes I just don't know about you :biggrin: The crisp, cold air is wonderful. No wonder why people live in Canada :rolleyes: I'm so glad it came early this year. :biggrin:

Sylvanite said:
I used to heat my house with wood and always dumped the ashes in my wife's garden plot. It adds potassium to the soil which is an important fertilizer component. I also have very acidic soil (lots of tannin) and it helps with that too.

Regards,
Eric
Click to expand...
Eric, do you think you could talk to my neighbor? :biggrin: I may stockpile the stuff and, spread it around the yard....when the snow melts :redface:
 
Add to potting soil.
Put into the flower beds.
Mix in the ground where the puppy goes, cover for the grass seed.
Fill stump holes in the lawn, along with compost.

We mix all our ashes into the garden. We also cover the garden with calf droppings. We let the snow and spring rains do their thing and the roto-till everything up just before planting.
We do stock pile our ashes all year (summer) to do this in the fall and spring. We also spread them around the young trees we have.

There is just to many ways to use them to just throw them away.
 
Gave up having wood fire years ago to regulated in California. Up until then we dumped them in the compost bin, no just wood shaving from woodworking projects gets added.
 
Be careful in your garden if your soil ph is high as this will just exacerbate the problem further. Here in Central Texas we already have problems with his PH or alkaline soil. Adding ashes will compound that. I would not add ashes unless you know the PH.
 
Thanks guys. I don't think spreading this in my yard is a good idea right now. I may stockpile till spring then, get the soil tested.
 
Indy~Old~Eggery?

In some parts of the world, ashes are a vital part of food preparation and preservation.

Just think Chuck, you have the initial ingredients to prepare Thousand Year Old Eggs!!!

With a little initiative, "Indy~Old~Eggery" could be launched! People will be lining up around the block to escape the smell.......uh......I mean... enjoy the scrumptious BLACK yoke!! Now admit it, doesn't it make your mouth water just thinking about it??

I see big bucks Chuck!!!

A virtual MONOPOLY!!!

AND you can empty your ash bucket!!



.....No charge for this priceless advice!! :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


Century Egg or Thousand Year Old Egg Recipe
 

Attachments

  • 1000YOE1.jpg
    1000YOE1.jpg
    114.4 KB · Views: 151
  • 1000YOE2.jpg
    1000YOE2.jpg
    43 KB · Views: 141
When I was growing up, we had the old coal furnace in the basement, and that ment cleaning out the ash box once a week. I remember my dad always carrying around a box of ashes in the trunk of the car during the Winter in case he would get stuck in the snow, to put under the wheels for traction. Curtis (MesquiteMan) is correct about pointing out the danger to soil and plants of adding ashes or sawdust to the ground. In order to decompose they take minerals away from your soil and plants adding to the problem. A simple PH test will tell you if you are ok to add ashes. Centain plants require an alkaline rich soil to grow however. Jim S
 
Last edited:
I dump mine on the manure pile. Once in a while I mix it up with the bucket on my tractor...The rain and snow help to keep the pie in check with a natural runoff into the pasture...
 
Ants, roaches, mice, and other bugs hate ashes. My grandmother always had small containers of ashes under her radiators. She never had a problem with pests.

They will also get rid of outdoor ant problems. Spread them on a colony, ant hill, or around your house and they will re-locate. For me, they go in the garden and turn into tomatoes!
 
PR_Princess said:
In some parts of the world, ashes are a vital part of food preparation and preservation.

Just think Chuck, you have the initial ingredients to prepare Thousand Year Old Eggs!!!

With a little initiative, "Indy~Old~Eggery" could be launched! People will be lining up around the block to escape the smell.......uh......I mean... enjoy the scrumptious BLACK yoke!! Now admit it, doesn't it make your mouth water just thinking about it??

I see big bucks Chuck!!!

A virtual MONOPOLY!!!

AND you can empty your ash bucket!!



.....No charge for this priceless advice!! :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


Century Egg or Thousand Year Old Egg Recipe
Click to expand...
Thanks Dawn! This looks like something I would eat every day for breakfast :biggrin: You're all heart I tell ya!:biggrin:
 
I had a house that was surrounded by hardwoods. Come fall, I was glad I had a yard vac to clean up all the leaves on the two acres that I cut.

The leaves went on the garden and the saved ashes from the fireplace were added in as well to balance the acidity of the leaves as they decayed. That kept the ph pretty stable.

And yes they keep pests away too as mentioned.
 
I think fireplace ashes are not good near potato crops...if memory serves correctly it 'burns' the skin on them.


If you have a dirt driveway, sprinkle them and let them melt the snow?





Scott (stoves are fun, but dusty) B
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom