If you've been using your woodburning stove right through the last few chilly months, you may have been wondering whether there's anything useful you can do with the leftover wood ash. We were very pleased to hear the issue covered in last week's Gardeners Question Time on Radio Four when the panel were asked whether it could be used on plants in the garden.
The experts on the programme concluded that wood ash is useful for gardens - and that now is the ideal time to use it. However, although it is high in potash, it is also quite limey so is best used on fruit bushes, especially gooseberries, or around Clematis. It seems that you need to put quite thick layers onto the soil - up to an inch - and then rake it in a bit.
Of course, it's generally during the winter months that you've got lots of wood ash, but the panel said it wasn't as good to use it during the winter because it tends to get washed away very quickly. They advised collecting your ash during the colder months and then using it at this time of year on your fruit bushes and Clematis - so now you know!
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