Can you plant flowers with coal ash?

1. Is it possible?

Coal ash is what is left after the complete combustion of coal. It has strong drainage and air permeability, and also contains various trace elements, such as iron oxide, magnesium oxide and calcium oxide. After high-temperature burning, there will be basically no bacteria left. It can be used to grow succulents and can also be used as fertilizer after being composted.

2. How to use

1. Selection: Not all coal ash can be used. Usually the coal slag left over from burning coal in factories is relatively hard and contains a lot of heavy metals, making it unsuitable for use. Household honeycomb coal is usually processed to reduce the content of sulfur and heavy metals, and can be used as a substrate or fertilizer.

2. Soaking in water: The coal ash must be soaked in water first. Since it is an alkaline substance, it is not conducive to the growth of many plants. The pH can be neutralized by soaking in water. In addition, soaking in water can also remove fine dust and avoid affecting its breathability.

3. Fully decomposed: If you want to make coal ash into fertilizer, it needs to be decomposed. Put it together with animal manure or straw and compost it through high-temperature fermentation. This kind of organic fertilizer is generally used as base fertilizer to promote the growth of plants.

4. Mix into potting soil: In addition to being used as fertilizer, coal ash can also be mixed into potting soil to increase the drainage and air permeability of the substrate. However, you cannot add too much, otherwise it will easily cause the loss of water and fertilizer, which is not conducive to its growth.