MOVE YOUR ASH FRIDAY!!!

Let's talk about the benefits of moving your ash!

For those of you with wood burning stoves, ashes can be more than a mess to clean.  They can be useful.  Ashes can be used as a mineral and fertilizer source.   Ash will alter the acid soil Ph to a more basic/alkaline soil.

The best way I've found is to empty your fireplace ashes onto a wood ash screen.  It filters out any unburned materials, allowing you to easily distribute pure ash onto your garden.  Here is one I've made from scrap wood and screen that works well. 

1.  Buy a plastic concrete/mortar mixing tray to hold the ashes. 

2.  You will need ¼ inch galvanized wire hardware screen to fit (about 2 feet by 3 feet piece). 

3.  Construct the screen to fit over the tray. 

·         The tray slides out the open end of the screen base. 
·         I used 2x4’s for legs, 2 – 2”x4”x3’ foot long for edges, 2 – 2”x4”x2’ long for ends for the frame. 

·         Next you need to staple the screen on the frame. 
·         Then cut and screw, from the bottom of the frame, 2 – 2”x6”x2’ and 2 – 2”x6”x3’ for top frame.  The 2x6s give the height to hold the ashes. 

4.  Transport the ashes from your fireplace to your ash holder using a fireproof carrier

5.  Ensure the screen is on securely over the top of the container

6.  Slowly pour the ashes onto the screen, working them through with some jiggling

7.  Toss out the stuff on top of the screen, then evenly distribute your ash over the garden

Tips & Warnings:

Magnet Bag

-Wood used for building (ie, fences, cranberry boxes, pallets, etc) will have nails or metal that need to be screened out.  If you have nails or metal parts in your firewood; use a magnet inside a clothbag to separate metal out of the ashes. 

-Do not burn treated wood as the preservative is toxic

-Stay up wind, city folks!

Now go make an ash of yourself!!