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ash from woodburner?


Rivington

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I'm sure many people will think this a daft question, but here goes anyway - what do people do with all the ash from their woodburners? I know it can be used in the garden but am not sure of the best way to do this. When I was a child, the ash from the coal fire was just put in the bin as far as I can remember. I'm sure someone out there has a briliant suggestion as to how to use it / dispose of it!

Carole

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NB I was talking about wood ash, not coal ash. 

You can add wood ash to compost without harm but it serves no real purpose (other than a convenient place to dump it). LOL.

Do you wee on your compost, Sally? I've had to stop due to the weather this past week or so.  Not good for the sprout.

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[quote user="cassis"]NB I was talking about wood ash, not coal ash. 

You can add wood ash to compost without harm but it serves no real purpose (other than a convenient place to dump it). LOL.

Do you wee on your compost, Sally? I've had to stop due to the weather this past week or so.  Not good for the sprout.
[/quote]

Should that have been Spout ?

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thanks for that everyone. [:)] I sort of knew it could be used on the garden but wasn't sure exactly how to do it. The compost heap is my next goal. We only arrived here permanently 2 months ago and what with Christmas and everything haven't had time to think about it except every time I see the OH carrying out anther load of ash and asking me where to put it ! Thanks a lot Carole
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make sure the layer of ash in compost heap is not too thick - if you don't have vegetable matter to put in between layers, use scrunched up newspaper and/or cardboard.corrugated cardboard, torn up. Preferably damp - (yes you can pee on it - it is a good accelerator - and will keep foxes and badgers away too!)

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Well, if you've got  a potter near you, you might try offering it to him/her. A number of high firing potters will use wood ash as a flux in their glazes - it help to know what the wood was that formed the ash, but even a general mix is invaluable. Of course, they may already have their own copious supply...[:D]

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[quote user="Ab"]

But if you leave a bed of ash then the air does not get through as easily when starting the fire each day!

I donot leave the burner on al night'.

[/quote]

Strickly speaking, wood fires should be on a solid base, not one that 'the air gets through'. Non solid fire grates are for coal, etc not for wood.

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For wood : leave a bed of ash in the fire as wood burns more efficiently when the air for combustion is supplied from ABOVE the fire bed rather than below.

For coal (or a mixture of coal and wood) : clear the ashes out every day as the air for combustion is better if supplied from BELOW the bed.

 

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Re solid or perforated floors in wood burning fires - our wood burning CH boiler has a perforated floor to the combustion chamber.  Ash falls through the floor into a collecting box, which needs emptying every 4-6 weeks.  Air coming into the combustion chamber is regulated by a flap which allows air into the space below the chamber floor, thence through the floor into the chamber, said flap opening and shutting according to the temperature of the water circulating thanks to a thermostatic control.  This is very efficient, the water temperature remaining virtually constant.  Maybe wood burning boilers and fires/inserts operate on different principles?  Though I can't see why this should be.  Once wood is burnt, it's burnt, and it gives off heat, whether the air comes from above or below.

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[quote user="TWINKLE"]I keep mine for the summer and sprinkle it around my lettuces - the snails and slugs hate it.[/quote]

I'm with Twinkle on this one, although I do mix mine with coffee grounds and crushed walnut shells - the slugs REALLY hate that [6]

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