What is the best way to apply wood ash as fertilizer?

Wood ash is an ash fertilizer made from burning firewood. It is a loose, hot, quick-acting fertilizer whose main ingredient is potassium carbonate, and it has a good promoting effect on crop growth. So how is wood ash best used as fertilizer? Let’s learn more about it below.

Fertilization method of strawberry ash

1. As basal fertilizer

Wood ash can be used as a basic fertilizer for dryland crops. The general amount used as base fertilizer is 200-300 kilograms per mu. But be careful not to mix it with acidic fertilizers, and it should be applied deeply to avoid being wetted by rain and losing its fertilizer effectiveness.

2. Topdressing

Wood ash is usually used as topdressing on crops that bear fruit underground. For example, during the swelling period of sweet potatoes, potatoes, yams and taro, wood ash is applied to the acupuncture points of these crops. Generally, using 50-75 kg of wood ash per mu can increase the yield of these crops by about 10%-15%.

3. Use as foliar fertilizer

More than 90% of the potassium contained in wood ash is soluble in water, so it can also be used as foliar fertilizer for spraying. Generally, 50%-80% wood ash extract can be sprayed on the leaves before and after the crops bloom. This can promote greening of branches and leaves, reduce the shedding of flowers and fruits, prevent premature aging, and promote bright coloring of flowers and fruits.

Precautions for using wood ash

1. Don’t mix blindly

Wood ash is an alkaline fertilizer and should not be mixed with ammonia nitrogen fertilizers, especially ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate. If the two are mixed, a reaction will occur and the nitrogen element in the nitrogen fertilizer will turn into ammonia and evaporate.

2. Pay attention to the correct ratio

The mixing ratio of wood ash and water can be adjusted according to different plant species and growth environments. The generally recommended ratio is 1:10, that is, add about 100 grams of wood ash to every liter of water.

3. It is best to apply it in a concentrated manner

Although wood ash can be applied in holes or strips, it is best to apply it in a concentrated manner. When applying, the depth is generally 8-10 cm, and the top should be covered with soil after application. In addition, in order to prevent the wood ash from flying, you can spray it with a little water when applying it, or you can mix it with an appropriate amount of wet soil before applying it.

4. Do a good job of soil testing

Before applying wood ash, a soil pH test should be performed to determine the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. If the soil is already alkaline, avoid using wood ash to avoid increasing the alkalinity of the soil.

5. Pay attention to the applicable crops

Wood ash is suitable for a variety of crops, especially those that are strong underground and prefer potassium and avoid chlorine. When using wood ash in agricultural production, it is preferably used for: peanuts, sweet potatoes, potatoes, yams, taro, rapeseed, beets, etc.

In general, wood ash is a high-quality potash fertilizer that has a long history of use in rural areas with very significant results. However, as an alkaline fertilizer, there are many key points to pay attention to when using wood ash. Only by using it scientifically and reasonably can the effectiveness of wood ash be better exerted.