Ash, how to apply it in the garden..

I would like to share with you my knowledge about ash. Maybe it serves for anyone. First of all, ash is good because it deoxidizes the soil, makes it softer and promotes the development of bioflora, which creates humus.Some cultures love acidic soil, such as radish, watermelon, blueberries, azalea. They are unlikely to like ash. But for zucchini or peonies - it's just perfect. Ash does not only neutralize acid in the soil. It makes its structure more loose and airy, which will come in handy for heavy clay soils. Grain straw ash is distinguished by a high potassium content - from 10 to 35 percent, but not simple, but in a form very accessible to plants. If we compare the ash with chemical fertilizers, potassium from the ash is completely absorbed due to its natural origin. Feeding with ash is especially important since August. Then the plants tolerate winter better. It is very useful to put ash in a compost pile. Ash neutralizes its acidic environment and activates the microorganisms working in the heap so that compost is formed not after 2-3 years, as usual, but after a year. Another property of ash is to deter pests: aphids, snails, caterpillars of cabbage white.
To get a kilogram of ash, you need to burn at least 200 kilograms of plant material, not simple, but well dried. In this case, in no case should you mow meadows along roads or public gardens in the city. Otherwise, not only nutrients will be concentrated in your ash, but also heavy metals, radioactive substances. Ash should be crushed to a finely divided state. Only then will it improve the physical properties of the soil and be processed by microorganisms. Otherwise, the effect of your processing will be small.

Manures are also a good source of potassium.  For those that have to buy bagged composts, we recommend one source of farm manure such as composted cow or chicken manure.  For those that make their own, horse, cow, bunny, alpaca, goat, etc. is often added to the pile as a green source.