# What do you do with your ash from your stove?



## Xsue (24 Jan 2014)

What do you do with the ash from your stove?? We have two stoves and have been using them to heat the house rather than oil central heating this winter (tvery cosy indeed) - we use logs and turf - which is very economical (the turf rather than the logs) but produces a huge amount of ash. It doesn't seem to be doing the garden any good (or maybe it's just coincidence that a 4 year old sage plant has withered and died after ash was put in the same bed) and I think it would take up half the (small) land fill bin if I were to bag and bin it. We live in a rural area and I'd love to know what everyone else does with their ash??


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## Ben100 (24 Jan 2014)

I Bin mine, it's no good for the garden and is very messy when wet!


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## diver (25 Jan 2014)

Ash in the garden isn't good in large quantities especially on alkaline soils.....it will kill all growth, so I'm afraid I bin mine too.


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## Sandals (25 Jan 2014)

The only reason we have bin at 340euro a year is to get rid of the ashes.


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## Xsue (25 Jan 2014)

diver said:


> Ash in the garden isn't good in large quantities especially on alkaline soils.....it will kill all growth, so I'm afraid I bin mine too.



You see I keep reading conflicting advice on this but it does seem to have had an adverse effect on my plant. I might try ditch it on the furze so - though as luck will have it furze will love ash and it will thrive!!


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## wishbone (26 Feb 2014)

I do both - my Dad seems to think it's Ok to put it in the garden so I split it 50/50 - garden/bin


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## fraggle (26 Feb 2014)

Be careful if you choose to burn waste green (preserved) wood. This contains arsenic which becomes concentrated on the ash and should be double bagged and binned.

I put some ash in the garden and some in the bin.


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## Leo (26 Feb 2014)

fraggle said:


> Be careful if you choose to burn waste green (preserved) wood. This contains arsenic...



Very unlikely these days, residential use was banned in 2003.


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## fraggle (26 Feb 2014)

Leo said:


> Very unlikely these days, residential use was banned in 2003.



So if I go to a builders providers and buy treated wood for fencing/garden use, is there not a problem with that?


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## Leo (27 Feb 2014)

fraggle said:


> So if I go to a builders providers and buy treated wood for fencing/garden use, is there not a problem with that?



You really shouldn't burn preserved woods. While they won't contain arsenic, they will contain various other chemicals. Some producers will also specify that their products should not be used anywhere where the chemicals used might pass into the food chain.


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## dewdrop (28 Feb 2014)

I put the ashes in a galvanised bucket in case there is some hot bits and place the bucket outside with a cover on it so as it will not get wet. When bucket nearly full i put ashes in a tied bag  in the bin. Years ago i nearly burned down a garage because of hot ashes.


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## midleton (28 Feb 2014)

*Ashes....*

Isn't it good thing recession or no that we are getting bit more frugal and in some cases remembering ways our parents or grandparents did things.  We are relearning forgotten skills and long way to go.

We have taken due to necessity to trawling ditches, wood and beaches esp after storms for wood for fire.  We had little oil left on bottom of tank but are only using it when its fierce cold in house.  We pay our oil bill bit by bit and company even though we have been with them for years and all belonging to us are/were customers and we always paid our bills they will not give any amount of oil until bill is fully cleared.  We got five bags of coal at Xmas and its just nearly gone but we are bagging the dust of it and gonna use every last ounce of that on fire too a little bag at a time on red fire.  We are using only our timber now.  We put ashes like that other guy in steel bucket until its fully cold and bin it.  We now also try to burn in open fire any milk cartons that are safe to burn and we flatten every other bit of recycle bin rubbish and that bin will not go out for collection same as other rubbish bin until they are full to the gills.  Bin company charges for every lift, so the less times they have to lift then our bill is reduced.  I know they have a quartely charge and that seem payable if you never had a bin out all year but are a customer.  We are trying to cut costs where possible and will def grow veg this year and we are still to pin of our collar ...overdrawn but just surviving.  Its constant struggle.  I lost my job cos of recession and have now few days work every two wks and my hubby is out of work on illness benefit due to illness for moment.  I have huge admiration for how our parents and grandparents managed their homes and money and I wish I were more like them but am doing my best.


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## dewdrop (1 Mar 2014)

Hi Midleton. I would like to wish you and your husband every good wish and congratulate you on your efforts to try and keep afloat in these difficult times. I was reared when we had only candlelight at night and we survived. So will you.


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