If needed in large quantities, wood ash can be collected from households that use wood as a source of energy because many of these households dispose off the wood ash as trash yet it can be used to make important soil amendments like fertilizers. The ash can also be used to make pesticides and fungicides.
Wood ash advantages
Wood ash contains high amounts of calcium and potassium and a small amount of phosphorous, magnesium, iron, and zinc.
Wood ash helps treat calcium deficiencies in plants and also provides potassium to plants that enable flowers and fruits to grow well and also helps plants to grow strong branches.
Wood ash also helps neutralize the acidic soil pH in cases of acidic soils.
It’s a natural fungicide and is coated on the top of plant surfaces to protect them from fungi.
Wood ash is also a pesticide that’s used to control a variety of pests. Wood ash is also used at planting to make the soil soft.
Wood ash is also used as an organic seed preservative.
Wood ash uses
First sieve the wood ash to remove bigger particles and mix little quantities of the wood ash into the soil to provide nutrients to the soil.
Spread wood ash on the topsoil to prevent the crops from being attacked by fungi. You can also spread wood ash directly onto the leaves to protect them from pests like sucking pests that cause powdery mildew.
When using wood ash, ensure that you use the right quantities because using high quantities of wood ash in the soil makes the soil too alkaline.
If your soil has high amounts of potassium then it’s not advisable to use wood ash.
