Re: [Wood-ashes under the trees] staples, nails & garbage question

On 12/9/2024 10:53 AM, Michael Uplawski wrote:

Supersedes for Kraut2English
 
Good evening
 
As the proud owner of a wood stove >1, there is a certain amount of wood ash
that I have to handle.
 
Until now, I filtered the ash to eliminate anything looking odd and
as well the staples that keep together crates for fruit: I work at a
place where worn out crates are piling up and they are quite
efficient in our wood stove, in the morning.
 
The ashes, together with that of oak- and ash wood then go either
– in small volumes – into the compost or I scatter it under the trees
and bushes of our hedges.
 
My question is: Do you think I could just quit filtering the
ashes? The staples should rust and decay. But I cannot estimate an
amount of metal or its oxides that the soil can condone.
 
I know people who do not care, and never hesitated to use the ashes
in their vegetable garden and elsewhere, directly as they retrieved
it from their stoves.
 
Having composed this article with the help of a German-English
dictionary, I wonder now, if it was worth the effort. ;) You will
tell me.
 
Cheerio
----------------
1) meaning we emit the same CO2 that our trees had the time to
 accumulate during their life time, not the one that you dig
 out from the depths of coalmines or oil wells – not the topic
   of this post
 

Regarding nails and staples, I would only be concerned about injuring
myself while digging or kneeling in my garden.  However, I cannot put
ashes in my own garden since the soils (and water) here tend to be
alkaline; ashes are suitable only where soils are acidic.  I often add
sulfur when planting something.

--
David E. Ross
Climate:  California Mediterranean, see
<http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html>