Smoker Ashes

[ksmoker]

Anyone have good ideas on the dispossal of the left over ashes after a good smoke out.

 

[bigbaldbbq]

I have a metal bucket that I use. I dump it when it gets full.

 

[vegansbeware]

I keep mine in a metal "ash bucket" and when it gets full, I add to my garden. Ash = good fertilizer... just as long as it's just lump or wood ash. Wouldn't recommend it if you use a lot of lighter fluid.

 

[ganny76]

I just toss it into the woods.

 

[txbbqman]

I am sooooooo glad VegansBeware posted this, Now I can finally prove to my wife I ain't crazy.

I have been doing this for years and my wife, although she can see the results, figures I must be crazy for doing it.

WoooooHoooooo, It's not just me

 

[packplantpath]

I dump it in the compost bin. It's pretty alkaline, so in my area that is a good thing, but you may not want to use it around acid loving plants.

It has very little nitrogen value, but I'm pretty sure it has at least a decent amount of quickly available P and K.

 

[richoso1]

After they cool down, I lightly spread the ashes over my ground cover, it seems to provide some needed nutrients.

 

[dionysus]

I agree, my gardens love it ....

 

[darrin]

Sling it onto the yard.

 

[killbuck]

You should be be careful spreading it in your gardens. You first should have the soil tested by an Agriculture firm. They can then tell you much you can put on your garden per it's size. Ex. 12 pounds per acre.

I was putting it on my garden too untill a friend up the road heard I was doing it. He came down and said he was doing it for several years and then started having a lot of problems with his veggies. He had his soil tested and had far too much of something that was produced by the ash.
Had to really treat his soil to get it back up again and that took a couple years.

So beware and play it safe. I now put mine in the garbage and it goes to a landfill.

Enjoy the day.

 

[drlouis]

no, it's not just you.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organ...Your-Soil.aspx

you CAN unbalance your soil though (as killbuck pointed out above) so it's not a bad idea to get a soil check done.

 

[smoke freak]

As has been stated, wood ash is Extremely alkaline. The only nutrient value it has is potassium (K). And lots of it. But too much of a good thing...well you know.

If you add too much you will throw your pH levels high on the alkaline side. When that happens you plants wont be able to use the nutrients no matter how rich your soil is. A little goes a long way and that includes in the compost pile too. If you make it too alkaline then the bacteria which do the decomposing will die. And they will remain dead. An inactive compost pile will soon start to stink badly and what little decomposition you get will be an anaerobic slimey mess with very little value. I know...

 

[packplantpath]

Good to know, and it makes sense. I haven't had that happen yet, but frankly I don't get to light the smoker nearly often enough

. Maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to have time to make my compost pile stink.

Around here, I don't think you can add enough lime to really make the soil too alkaline though. pH ~4 are not unusual in NC. Your mileage may vary......

I hear some folks actually have naturally alkaline soil!!!!Who woulda thunk it?

 

[beerguy]

Mine goes in the garden.

 

[smokeguy]

Just like when you are adding lime, it's better to add smaller amounts more frequently than a large amount all at once. You want to mix it in, add water and give it some time to equalize a bit. Then if you need more you can add more which around here is "you always need more". If you add too much ash at once you're not getting that nice balance you're aiming for and instead are getting a big shot of alky, which if you're in an acid area is enough to stunt or even kill stuff.

 

[keith54]

Mine goes down the woodchuck hole. Their still livin. Dang varmits any ho!

 

[smokeguy]

I got a picture in my mind of them coming out of the hole coughing ashes all over the place and cussing at you!

 

[pitrow]

I always just dump mine into the rocks that line my patio. Next good rain and you can't even tell it's there anymore. lol. probably because the MES doesn't produce a whole lot of ash each use. Now the wood stove on the other hand... that's a little more difficult to just dump out. A little goes in the garden, a little into the compost, a little here and there everywhere!