Can I Use Ash In My Garden Or Compost

FAQ

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.

Renewable Fuel

Benefits & Features

Wood pellets are a heating fuel made from clean, untreated, compressed sawdust. Historically, the sawdust was a byproduct of the timber industry and was considered a waste product which was sent to landfill! Not anymore though!

In New Zealand our pine forests are plentiful and well managed, with most of our larger forests certified by the only truly international forest certification scheme Forest Stewardship Council, according to NZ Wood.

Unlike traditional fossil fuels such as coal, oil or gas, fuels which are sustainable and renewable are far less likely to become scarce. By their nature we can create more of them, and this means it isn’t prone to the same price hikes as fuels which have the potential to run out!

In addition to meaning we have a lovely secure supply of wood for making pellets, sustainably managing forests also means we can keep the carbon footprint of wood pellets incredibly small – think new born baby small! In fact, the life cycle of pellets is the perfect carbon neutral story – sustainably grow renewable forest resource (which absorbs Carbon Dioxide), burn wood pellets in highly efficient appliances (emitting carbon which is absorbed by the trees), and finally, use ash from burnt wood pellets to fertilise your garden (and grow more wonderful green things that absorb even more carbon dioxide!). That’s right, wood pellet ash is certified by BioGro as an organic fertiliser!

There’s just one problem – wood pellets burn so efficiently that they produce very little ash!

Clean Air Approved

Benefits & Features

Pellet fires are the cleanest, greenest home heating system available according to Consumer Magazine (www.consumer.org.nz).

Woodburners spewing ultra-fine soot particles into the still night air are a major cause of winter atmospheric pollution in New Zealand… Because of New Zealand’s topography, there are many valleys and basins where the pollution can get trapped. These soot particles are so fine that they can lodge in people’s lungs and contribute to a number of respiratory diseases.
The real problem with woodburners/log fires is that even though they can acheive pretty low emissions in laboratory conditions, ie perfectly dried wood, built in a perfect pyramid formation etc etc, in reality, people are a little less clinical about what they burn in their fires. Simply throwing in all that junk mail you get through your mailbox can cause a log burner to start belching out clouds of black smoke that can be harmful to your health.

Wood pellet fires on the other hand burn only wood pellet fuel, so their real life performance is exactly the same as their laboratory performance. So, put that junk mail in the recycling bin, or lay it in garden to stop the weeds coming up, and choose a wood pellet fire – the “cleanest and greenest home-heating system available” as rated by Consumer (Consumer Magazine, 1 March 2011).

Economical

Benefits & Features

Economical

Compared to traditional fossil fuels which, by their nature, are destined to become scarce and therefore expensive, wood pellet fuel is made from the by-products of sustainably grown pine forests, ensuring a trustworthy, secure supply for as long as we need!

Combined with the built-in safety of being a sustainable fuel, using Nature’s Flame wood pellets gives you multiple options for buying your fuel. Whether you buy in bulk before winter, or pick up a few bags from a local retailer when you need them, there is a pellet fuel solution to fit your budget and situation.

According to Consumer Magazine (www.consumer.org.nz) there’s “plenty to like about pellet burners” and specifically notes that buying in bulk from the factory gate in Taupo gives the second cheapest heating fuel around at 9c per kilowatt hour (firewood was marginally cheaper at 6c per kilowat hour).

Visible Flame, Healthy Home

Benefits & Features

Our wood pellet fires have the real flame ambience of a logburner without any of the chopping/carrying/dirt on the floor/EEK there’ s a spider(!) hassle, and the convenience and simplicity of a heatpump – but will continue to pump out heat no matter how cold it gets!

Healthy Home

Living in a warm, dry home is good for you, say the Asthma Foundation of New Zealand (www.asthmafoundation.org.nz). If your home is damp and cold, everyone living there is more likely to suffer more bouts of colds and flu than those living in a warm, dry home, and the likelihood of developing a respiratory illness is greatly increased. All this means more doctors bills, more time spent sick in bed, and generally, not much fun!

A wood pellet fire can help dry your home by circulating out the damp air, and because dry air is easier to heat, the home will also be nice and warm. The recommended room temperature for healthy living is between 18-21 degrees celcius, and with our thermostat model pellet fires, it is easy to set the temperature to ensure you stay within in this range.