November 2, 2025 – As we move through the Fall season on the way to Winter, now is the time to non-fertilize/fertilize your garden for next Spring. Basically, this means that now is the time to put nutrients in your garden soil that will still be available next Spring without having to buy commercial fertilizers.
Some do this with cover crops, but I prefer using wood ashes. They work extremely well, cost nothing, and contains a host of nutrients. These are the same wood ashes from your fireplace or outdoor cooking site.
Most hardwood and pine wood ashes contain good amounts of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium plus a heap of trace elements, all of which in your vegetable or flower gardens. In other words, wood ashes provide numerous, much needed elements for strong vegetable growth and production.
Calcium makes up nearly 20% of the wood ash content and is needed for early plant development and cell structure. It’s also a major factor in preventing blossom end rot. Potassium makes up close to 5% of the wood ash content. It helps plants absorb water and aids in photosynthesis.
Although the remaining minerals and nutrients occur in lower concentration percentages, they certainly do their part to help in recharging your garden soil with energy as well.
Regarding how much to use, a good coating, roughly 10 pounds, or about 1.5 gallons per 1,000 square feet, is plenty. Piling on this alkali product could very well change the soil’s pH. Unless you have highly acidic soil, a good coating is sufficient. Be sure to wear gloves, goggles, and a dust mask for protection. After the ashes are down, wet them down by spraying with a hose to hold the ashes in place. After the ashes dry, use a garden rake to blend them into the soil.
