Wood ashes? My husband gave me a 5 gallon bucket of ashes

[hedgehog]

from where he burns downed limbs and such. Would these be good to add to the garden? Is there a particular group of plants that would like these?

[lastlib]

1. An emphatic NO! They will NOT be good for your soil!

The pH factor of wood ash will increase the alkalinity of your soil significantly. Wood ash has no nutrients; everything good for plantlife has been burned out. If you have a patch of weeds, you can dump the ash on it and kill them, but you won't get anything else to grow there. Best suggestion: dump 'em down a sewer drain. Or if you have a neighbor who's giving you trouble, scatter 'em on HIS garden!

[ret5hd]

2. When life gives you ashes, make soap.

[postulater]

3. I toss them back in the woods where I cut the trees from. nt

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. I use it very lightly, for liming

but it works right away, and too much is no good. just a few trowel scoops in a wheel barrow of compost. the toms seem to like it