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Are Campfire Ashes Good for Gardens? (Answered)

You must have enjoyed at least one campfire in your life. Have you ever thought that campfire ashes can be good for something? Well, campfire ashes have a lot of advantages on soil amendment.

You might be thinking about whether campfire ashes are good for your garden or not. Gardens can be many types and have various types of plants. You will get to know about the advantages of campfire ashes in your garden if you know what campfire ashes contain.

Are campfire ashes good for gardens?

Campfire ashes are excellent for gardens. Campfire ashes contain calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and trace elements. These elements are essential for the soil and plants. Moreover, campfire ashes neutralize the acidity of the soil. Campfire ashes boost up the growth of plants in the garden.

Campfire ashes are generally wood ashes. They contain some essential and good elements for the plants and soil. Campfire ashes are good for soil amendment. So, if you use campfire ashes on the garden, the garden soil will be fertile.

Moreover, potassium, calcium and other trace elements are essential for the plant to grow up. Campfire ashes enhance the growth of the plants. So, Campfire ashes are good for gardens.

Which plants like wood ashes?

Every plant doesn’t like ashes. Sometimes, wood ashes might not be good for some plants. But some plants of the garden like wood ashes. Wood ashes are alkaline, and some plants like alkaline soil. 

For example, lavender, citrus trees, and roses like wood ashes. Because these trees like alkaline soil made of wood ashes. Wood ash also contains lime that is excellent for some plants in the garden.

Summer bedding plants, some fruit trees, and flower tress also like wood ashes because these ashes balance pH level. Moreover, some plants take nutrients from wood ashes.

Let’s see some of the plants that like wood ashes.

  • Lavender
  • Roses
  • Tomato
  • Citrus plants
  • Hydrangeas
  • Leeks
  • Stone fruit trees
  • Onions
  • Plums
  • Garlic
  • Walnuts
  • Chives
  • Pears
  • Lettuces
  • Asparagus
  • Potatoes
  • Arborvitae
  • Maiden Grass
  • Pasque flower
  • Hosta
  • Elijah Blue Fescue
  • Easter Lilies
  • Wild Red Columbine

How do you use ashes in the garden?

Wood ashes or campfire ashes have a great impact on the soil and plants in the garden. But you might not know the proper way to use ashes in the garden. Let’s see some methods that you can follow to use ashes in the garden.

A thin layer of ashes:

You can use a thin layer of ashes on the lawns or into the compost piles. Generally, lawns and compost piles require lime and potassium that they can get from the layer of ashes. You can sprinkle a thin layer of wood ashes on the lawns.

Ash-tea:

You can also use ashes in liquid form. Store the wood ashes dry and make tea from the ashes. You can add this tea to the growing plants to boost-up their growth. But don’t use this tea on the seeds. The seed may damage from this liquid.

For making this ash tea, you will need 30 gallons of water and three pounds of wood ashes. Soaking time for making the tea can be four to five days. Don’t use the full amount at a time. Apply small amounts at different times.

Soil amendment:

If you want to use the ashes for the soil in the garden, you have to apple ashes before seeding. The ashes need time to keep a good pH level on the soil. So, try to apply the ashes before three to six months of seeding.

You can also add the ashes when you dig the soil for preparation. Wood ashes will work as the source of alkaline.

Are campfire ashes good for compost?

Yes, campfire ashes are perfect for compost. But you have to know the right way to use the campfire ashes on compost. Campfire ashes contain lime, potassium, and other trace elements good for plants.

Moreover, campfire ashes don’t have nitrogen and harmful elements that burn the plants. So, campfire ashes can be used in the compost piles. When you dig the ground for applying compost, you can mix ashes with the compost.

But you have to apply the ashes in a limited amount. A thin layer of campfire ashes is enough for one pile of compost. If you use too much ashes, the compost will be too much alkaline. But a suitable amount of campfire ashes is good for compost.

How much ash should I put in my compost?

Ash is a great element for compost. But you have to put a limited amount of ash on the compost. Otherwise, the ash might act negatively on the soil and plants.

You have to measure the compost before applying ash to it. For example, for a 9 inches thick brown material, you should put 1/8 inches ash. So, a thin layer of ash is enough for a 9 inches brown material.

You can alternate this much brown material with green material of 3 inches layer. But you have to maintain the limited amount. Because too much ash can be too much alkaline for the soil. Moreover, the soil will have too much pH level.  

Do ashes hurt weeds?

Yes, ashes can hurt weeds. Whether you want to uproot weeds or not depends on you. Some weeds are on the ground already and are good for the plants and compost. But some weeds are unnecessary.

But some weeds that are good for the soil can be terminated by ashes. You might know that too much ashes are not good for the soil. It increases the pH level and the level of alkalinity. Too much pH damages the weeds on the soil.

Many people use a little more ashes to terminate excess weeds from the ground to make gardening easier. But the limited amount of ashes will not terminate weeds.

Are Ashes good fertilizer for grass?

Yes, ashes are good fertilizer for grass. Ashes contain potassium, calcium, alkalinity, and other trace elements. These elements are beneficial to the grown of grass.

If your garden has plants that like ashes or alkaline-based plants, ashes will help to grow all plants, including grass. Ashes increase the pH level and alkalinity of the soil. If the soil is prepared in this way, grass will also increase in the lawns.

Some people want a good amount of grass on the lawns. So, ashes can be a good element for growing grass quickly. Moreover, other plants will also have fertilizer from the ashes. But make sure not to use too much ashes on the soil and directly on the plants.

What are campfire ashes good for?

Campfire ashes are good for plants and soil. Campfire ashes are common for use in soil amendment. Even they can be beneficial for the growth of plants. People also use campfire ashes on lawns and into the compost.

Campfire ashes also terminate unnecessary plants and weeds that help cleaning lawns. Moreover, campfire ashes terminate some harmful bugs. You can also use campfire ashes to make DIY soap.

Campfire ashes are also good for preventing slippery ways. They work as traction underfoot. If you use campfire ashes in the garage ways, the ashes also soak up driveway spills. Campfire ashes are also good for fire control.

Is a campfire bad for the environment?

Yes, a campfire is bad for the environment. Generally, a campfire requires woods for burning. When you burn woods, a lot of harmful elements exposes from the fume of burning woods.

This fume releases Nitrogen oxides, Volatile Organic Compounds, Carbon monoxide, Carbon dioxide, and other toxic elements into the air. These elements are highly harmful to the environment. Ashes from burning woods are one of the main reasons for air pollution.

Moreover, if the campfire ashes leach out into the water, it can be harmful to water. Leached-out ashes will be the cause of water pollution. So, a campfire is bad for the environment.

How to dispose of campfire ashes?

You can’t use the campfire ashes immediately after the wood burns. For avoiding accidents, you should dispose of campfire ashes in a proper way. For disposing of campfire ashes, you can follow the method mentioned below.

  • Let the wood burn completely, and ashes cool down completely.
  • After cooling down the ashes for several days, scoop the ashes out with a metal shovel.
  • Keep the ashes in a metal ash bin or bucket that has a lid on it.
  • Avoid using a plastic bin to keep the ashes.
  • Store the ashes in a safe place and out of touch from the children.

Campfire ashes are a great source of trace elements for the garden soil and plants. They have plenty of beneficial elements like potassium, calcium, etc., in them. Applying campfire ashes on the soil and compost can boost up the growth of plants.

Moreover, campfire ashes terminate the unnecessary weeds and plants from the ground and make gardening easy. But too much ashes can be harmful to the soil as ash contains alkaline. So, you can use campfire ashes in your garden in a limited amount. 

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