does ash helps the plant grow healthy?

Question

please help us in our research...

specifically rice ash

Answer 1

Soils that are acid and low in potassium benefit from wood ash. However, acid-loving plants such as blueberries, cranberries, rhododendrons and azaleas would not do well at all with an application of wood ash.

Wood ash has a very fine particle size, so it reacts rapidly and completely in the soil. Although small amounts of nutrients are applied with wood ash, the main effect is that it is a liming agent. The average ash is equivalent to a 0-1-3 (N-P-K).

Wood ash should never be applied to areas where potatoes will be planted as ash can promote potato scab. For most garden soil, 20 pounds (about a 5-gallon pail) per 1,000 square feet can be applied safely each year. That equals about 6 pounds of ground limestone applied to the same area. Too much ash can increase pH or accumulate high levels of salts that can be harmful to some plants, so use ashes carefully.
http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/frederick/2004/ashes.htm

Wood ash may also be a source of heavy metals that you don't necessarily want in your garden. The bottom line is that they contain about 25% calcium carbonate, an ingredient in garden lime... If your soil is very acidic (5.5 of lower), wood ash can improve your soil pH. If your soil is neutral or alkaline to begin with, adding wood ash could raise the pH high enough to interfere with plants abililty to take in nutrients. Ash is also a good source of potassium and a lesser source of phosphorus and some micro-nutrients, so if your soil has a potassium deficiency, wood ashes can be a good amendment used properly.
http://gardening.about.com/od/soil/f/Wood_Ash.htm
Good luck! Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I have an outdoor fire pit in my backyard, and when the "bowl" under the pit gets full, i take it and throw it in the garden and till it down under, it is like a fertilizer for the plants, as long as its wood that hasnt been treated, i wouldnt throw ashes from treated wood into the dirt..

Answer 3

It DOES provide potash, but also quite a bit of other stuff as well, not all of it good. Can be good if you have acidic soil, as it will generally raise the pH of the soil. Check the link to make sure you want to add it to your garden.

Answer 4

Yes as long as it is ash from untreated woods.

Answer 5

Yes it provides Potash.

Answer 6

i throw ash on plants that have critters on them.it sure keeps em away