Wood ash

I have a few plots with low ph, it was about 5 last year. I applied some lime but probably only about a third of the suggested rate.

In one plot, I have dumped and spread my wood ash waste all winter, probably a 5 gallon bucket each week. Can I expect any ph gains? I know an updated soil test is the only true way to find out but curious if others have had successes or failures doing this?

Thanks

Every spot that I had a burn pile when i made my plots has the best growth, so i say yes you may see improvement.

Yes, wood ash helps just as lime would, just not at the same rate. The tree species determines the nutrient content of the ash. On a pound for pound basis, wood ash usually has a least ten percent but no more than 75-percent the power of lime.

X-farmerdan said:

Yes, wood ash helps just as lime would, just not at the same rate. The tree species determines the nutrient content of the ash. On a pound for pound basis, wood ash usually has a least ten percent but no more than 75-percent the power of lime.

Click to expand...

I burn mainly oak, hickory, locust and some red maple.

Mahindra3016 said:

Every spot that I had a burn pile when i made my plots has the best growth, so i say yes you may see improvement.

Click to expand...

I’m curious to compare results this spring in the majority of one plot that got ash vs the part that didn’t.

I’ve also got quite a bit of ash from some burnt brush piles. I will probably just back drag it with the front end loader bucket and see how it goes

purely anecdotal but the largest chicory and clover leaves on my farm are growing through the ash of my burn barrel.

I dont know if it helps the ph but I do know there is a lot of P & K in it, and when we dozed off some plots in the woods we always made the pile out in the plot and burned it. the next few years that was the best part of the plot. Also one year a wildfire burned up to a pipeline clear cut , the side they pushed all the trees in piles burned, but the fire didnt cross the clear cut. the side that burned was incredibly thick with new browse the next year or 2 especially where the piles of timber were. It's good stuff.