- Add only small amounts of ash to the compost
- Ash suitable for composting
- Only compost ashes from untreated wood
- Paper only without color
- Small doses of ash improve the compost
- Better only fertilize flower beds with composted ash
- Can wood ash from the barbecue go into the compost?
If the fireplace or stove is heated with wood, briquettes and paper in winter, a lot of ash is produced that has to be disposed of. This also applies to wood ash that is produced by barbecuing in summer. Can you put this ash on the compost?
A little ash can be disposed of on the compost
Add only small amounts of ash to the compost
It used to be a matter of course to dispose of ashes in the compost. Nowadays, composting ashes is no longer completely harmless. This is due to the increased environmental pollution, through which wood in particular is contaminated with many heavy metals.
If large amounts of ash are placed on the compost, this can lead to calcification of the soil or even to poisoning.
Ash should therefore only be composted in small quantities.
Ash suitable for composting
- Wood ash from untreated trees
- coal / briquette
- Paper ash without color residue
Only compost ashes from untreated wood
Not every ash goes on the compost. If the wood you burned was varnished, stained or glued, the ash never belongs in the compost and shouldn't be burned anyway.
This also applies to wood from trees that have stood directly on busy roads. In such woods, the load of harmful heavy metals is particularly high.
Therefore, only compost wood ash that you know exactly where it came from.
Paper only without color
If you burn paper in the stove or chimney, make sure you only use materials that are printed in one color. Colored paper or glossy paper also contain heavy metals, which do not break down in the compost but unnecessarily pollute the later natural fertilizer.
Small doses of ash improve the compost
The ash from untreated wood, charcoal or paper that has not been printed in color contains a number of important nutrients. You can therefore add small amounts to the compost without worrying.
Spread only a thin layer at a time and mix the ashes with other green waste. Lawn clippings can be loosened up with ash, for example. It will then rot faster.
You can improve particularly heavy, clayey soil with wood ash. Compacted soils can also be improved with ash.
Better only fertilize flower beds with composted ash
The fertilizer produced when the ashes are composted may be heavily contaminated. Therefore, to be on the safe side, you should only use it on flower beds. This fertilizer is not suitable for vegetable beds because of the possible health hazards.
Can wood ash from the barbecue go into the compost?
Wood ash from burning on the grill should not be composted, but disposed of with household waste. When grilling, fat drips onto the charcoal. This creates the harmful acrylamide, which poisons the soil in the garden.
tips
When building up the compost, you should always ensure that it is thoroughly mixed. Then the green waste rots faster and the compost later contains a variety of different nutrients.