Wood Ash

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kenny thomas

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I know it has been discussed before but the search is a little hard to follow.
Anyone using wood ash from a powerplant or a boiler in place of lime. I have been reading up on it and its benefits and have a supply near at no cost.
 
I have no clue what amounts you need to replace ash, but I used a lot of it when it was available, because it is good for potassium, minerals and soil structure. Beware of scrap metal parts!
 
Each ton spread should also give you 30 lbs on P and 140 lbs of K. This will vary with tree species but should be close. It will spread better if its damp.
 
Jogeephus":2xxw6nb9 said:
Each ton spread should also give you 30 lbs on P and 140 lbs of K. This will vary with tree species but should be close. It will spread better if its damp.
And it will help raise the ph of the soil and add some micro nutrients.
I noticed where I had burnt brush piles that the grass and clover was better so I started picking up the wood ash from a local bar-b-que place and spreading it on the pasture. Sure wish I had a better source.
 
I'm curious where you can get enough wood ash to be worth the trouble?
The next town west, they are proposing a wood burning electric plant (privately owned) which will feed the grid by burning scrappy trees. I image they will have a lot of ashes.
 
john250":2iope66c said:
I'm curious where you can get enough wood ash to be worth the trouble?
The next town west, they are proposing a wood burning electric plant (privately owned) which will feed the grid by burning scrappy trees. I image they will have a lot of ashes.

Its common practice in the wood industry to burn bark and chips to generate power for the mill. I know of one mill that generates enough power from the chips to supply enough power for 8000 homes if they diverted it all to the grid.
 
Exactly what Jogeephus said. It comes from a paper mill and they use wood to power a boiler to produce power for the mill. One paper I read said that 80% of the ash in the northern US was used back on the farms but only 20% in the south. Some power plants use 100% wood also. Looks like a great deal.

The paper mills are very glad to get rid of it because otherwise they have to pay a landfill cost.

I contacted our extension agent(another story) about it and all he did was print off some info I had already read. He said it wasn't any good even though the studys showed it was.
 
kenny thomas":1t34i45y said:
Exactly what Jogeephus said. It comes from a paper mill and they use wood to power a boiler to produce power for the mill. One paper I read said that 80% of the ash in the northern US was used back on the farms but only 20% in the south. Some power plants use 100% wood also. Looks like a great deal.

The paper mills are very glad to get rid of it because otherwise they have to pay a landfill cost.

I contacted our extension agent(another story) about it and all he did was print off some info I had already read. He said it wasn't any good even though the studys showed it was.
I didn't know extension agents worked multiple states. Sounds like ours is working there.
 
kenny thomas":33u5ki1g said:
I contacted our extension agent(another story) about it and all he did was print off some info I had already read. He said it wasn't any good even though the studys showed it was.

You don't think he was meaning that since ash is so bulky the costs of hauling and spreading the needed amounts might outweigh the savings do you? I ran into the same dilema when I got a bunch of free organic fertilizer. Wonderful stuff but when I sat down and figured my time and all it wasn't so cheap. Best deal I've ever seen is an agreement one of my mentors worked out. For the last 30 years he has had his fields limed and fertilized with N for nothing. (He still has to apply the P & K) In spite of this, the old fart still complains that there is no money in the cattle business too. :lol2:
 
kenny thomas":4q4iuyz8 said:
Jogeephus, when I said free I was meaning ash, trucking, spreading all for free. I don't see any downside.

Can't see a downside with that either. Sounds like you have found a good deal like my friend did. In his situation, the cost associated with properly disposing of the N is more expensive than the company company spreading it on his pastures. Win win deal for both.
 

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