Can I Use Ash In My Garden Or Compost

Wood ash from pellet fires, using approved pellets, is bio-friendly and safe to use. Over seas, regulations are changing to recognise ash  from the incineration of uncontaminated wood as a fertiliser, resulting  in the option of using pellet ash as a fertilizer in gardening, or disposing of it as household waste.

Pellet fire ash can be used in gardening, as a free garden suppliment along with regular garden additives such as coffee grounds, potato peels, etc. However, there is a substantial difference between wood stove ash and all other suppliments used in gardening. Besides the fact that pellet stove ash contains a particular set of elements and nutrients—it is especially rich in potassium—that are favorable for soil, it can also help to correct and improve acidic soil. More than that, pellet fire ashes are applied in order to control the amount of pests as well as compost supplement.

Ash should not be used unless a soil pH test has been done. In regard to acidic soil correction, using ash as a garden suppliment is a much more convenient means than the traditionally used ground limestone, bearing in mind that it is an absolutely costless resource.

Wood stove ash used for pest control is by no means a new tendency. For that, ash has long been used both in dry and liquid form.

One more application of ash in gardening and fertilizing is as a neutralizing ingredient in piles of compost. Ash is extremely helpful in countering dry materials rich in carbon such as pine needles and sawdust, which are highly acidic. Furthermore, ashes by themselves have influence on the amount of carbon in the compost pile, thus, they can be placed in thin layers between other waste materials such as grass clippings and vegetable scraps, which are rich in nitrogen. Wood stove ashes also have the ability to neutralize odors.

All in all, the best choice is for wood pellet ash usage is as a fertilizer. The combustion chamber of a pellet stove should always be free of ash residues, as an overfilled ashtray leads to disturbances in the operation of the pellet stove. Therefore, the ash container should be emptied very one or two weeks, and the ashes can be used as garden compost or fertilizer, or simply be disposed of it with household waste.