Plants constantly absorb the necessary elements from the soil and convert them into substances available to them. This not only ensures vital processes, but also increases resistance to diseases. During the burning of a tree, branches, most of the components become ash. Ash is rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus.
In addition to minerals, the ash contains many trace elements - iron, copper and sulfur. All of them are necessary for plants. This substance affects the chemical and physical composition of the soil.
Ash has different shapes. Doctors in ancient times knew this and used a certain type of substance. And for top dressing at the cottage, you need to know that wood contains a lot of calcium, in the bark, potato stems, hay - phosphorus, and herbs contain potassium.
The only thing that almost does not contain ashes is nitrogen, because it is taken from other sources.
The ashes introduced into the soil as a fertilizer become a good medium for the propagation of beneficial microorganisms and bacteria.
Ash properties
In addition to a large number of useful components, ash acts on the soil and changes its properties - it reduces acidity, makes it lighter, friable, and contributes to the maturation of compost.
Thus, it is necessary to determine its reaction before entering the soil. Summer residents noticed that if there is a lot of horsetail or wild sorrel in the garden, then the soil is sour, and you need to add a lot of ash.
Ash is applied to heavy soils in autumn - until spring the soil will become soft. If the sandy soil is light, then close up in early spring, as the minerals melt away the water.
The benefits of ash in the garden
1. Proper growth: potassium strengthens plants, they do not go to excessive growth, do not ripen ahead of time, the mineral promotes photosynthesis processes.
2. Top dressing: substances in the composition have already acquired optimal forms and are immediately absorbed by the roots.
3. Treatment: many types of insects and bacteria repel ash.
Using ash to improve soil
During digging, they average up to an average of 0.8 kg of ash per 1 m, but its volume is calculated by the acidity and crops for planting. In addition, nitrogen is not added, since it evaporates.
The composition is added to the holes for planting 1 tbsp. l For trees, grooves are made along the contour of the near-trunk circle and 2 kg of ash are poured onto one tree. The procedure is repeated every three years until the beneficial properties of this substance are in effect.
Seed preparation
Soak the seeds in such a solution - 1 tsp. put in 1 liter of soft water.
When added to the wells before planting, you need to consider that this substance can corrode thin roots, so you need to pour a little earth on top. Potatoes with excess ash can be sick with scab, so it is poured no more than 20 g per one bush.
When planting seedlings, about 0.8 kg g of ash is poured into the pit, 0.5 kg under currants, raspberries can grow on acidic soils, so they bring 150 g under the shoots.
There is no chlorine in the ash, and therefore it is useful to fertilize them with plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, bushes of currants and raspberries, which this element is contraindicated.
Gardeners do not recommend introducing ash and organic matter at the same time due to the fact that calcium in the ash absorbs nitrogen in the mullein. Therefore, when feeding plants, manure is closed in the fall, and ash is brought in during digging in the spring. It is allowed to make infusions of mineral fertilizers with the addition of ash.
Pest Ash
The larvae of the Colorado potato beetle on potato bushes die after 2 days, if they are sprinkled with dry ash, dusting can be done using a sieve.
Sprinkling soil around the cabbage will protect it from slugs. But the procedure is carried out in dry weather, because during rain the ash powder loses its ability to deter mollusks. It can be replaced by spraying a solution of hot pepper.
Pest Control Solution
Pour 400 g of ash with water and boil for half an hour over low heat. Filter the solution and dilute in 10 l of water. In order for it to stay on the leaves, they add a liquid laundry soap (50 g). Work with gloves, as the solution is caustic. Effective against aphids, powdery mildew, caterpillars.
How to store ash
During autumn ash blanks it is stored in a dry room in paper containers. It must be remembered that when this substance is moistened, potassium, a very valuable element, is destroyed in it. It is only suitable for adding to compost.
It turns out that it is not necessary to buy potassium, since each gardener can get it by burning the remains of garden plants. This is a natural safe product that is available to everyone in any quantity and will not do absolutely any harm to the soil in the garden. If you store this valuable substance for plants in bags where moisture does not penetrate, then ash will retain its substances for several years.
