About those ashes. like cucumber,grapefruit, and potato.Can I make them myself? Like cucumber skin ash. Is it just like peeling the skin off. Let it dry for a bit and then burn it to ash? Or it has a commercial more complicated process? Are thise ashes slow or fast releasing source of K?
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How can I make cucumber/potato/grapefruit skin Ashe?
- Thread starter Limolax
- Start date
The NPK ratio of banana skin ash is N=0, P=3.25, K=41.76.
I believe the k is water soluble fast releasing...
I believe the k is water soluble fast releasing...
Former Guest
Active member
You feed the food scraps to vermicompost or regular hot compost. You can't burn them into an ash. They are joking...poorly at that.
Dry and burn, not sure where the joke is? 
There are many teks online for simple burn tubes, more or less just a metal tube with holes punched in to draw air through convection and increase burn temperature.
The potassium is very water soluble at this point, to my understanding. I would apply lightly, taking note of the overall liming effect the ash will give.
There are many teks online for simple burn tubes, more or less just a metal tube with holes punched in to draw air through convection and increase burn temperature.The potassium is very water soluble at this point, to my understanding. I would apply lightly, taking note of the overall liming effect the ash will give.
Former Guest
Active member
Is it a common practice to burn food scraps? I've never heard of it Mikell. Which would be best for someone with no access living in a rural remote overseas location?
I used to burn banana peels... I would let them dry and put them in stainless steel tray...light with torch..collect ash...easy as it gets,, no need for burn tube ..just a tray and torch..cucumber and potato should burn easy don't know about grapefruit might be harder to ashify....yeehaw...ashes are usually really alkaline and fast acting..a little goes a long way
Former Guest
Active member
learn something new every day. So do you know how that effects the ph/lime? I want to pass this along to Africa guy.
Depends on the calcium carbonate equivalency factor. Unsure on banana skin, but wood ash is around 30-60% (the liming strength of pure calcium carbonate) depending on source material.
http://umaine.edu/publications/2279e/
http://umaine.edu/publications/2279e/
ashes usually raise ph.. I don't think I have ever had acidic ashes....very alkaline use sparingly...very soluable and fast acting
Former Guest
Active member
But compost is generally high in K isn't it? He's building soil and will be using calcium carbonate to lime. He can get compost from a relative. So would you suggest adding ash? He is going to be using molasses as well. Limolax has a few threads
I think its a wasting of time,there are so much better amendments for compost or to build soil.
Peels of agrumes are never added to compost,dont see much beneficial stuff even
when they are burned in ash and dispersed over compost,its not such a great move.
Look on some amendment that have good nutrient value and lot of K,
that is stuff you need to feed bacteries and they will later feed plant.
If you use ash from hardwood always use those kinds that are not like Oaks full
of tanine..its better to use European Beach Tree as this are white wood and give
good clean ash.
And be easy with ash,you can easily fuck up soil if added too much..tryed this..been there..and will not use ash any more for building good soil..
Only my 5 cents.
DS
Peels of agrumes are never added to compost,dont see much beneficial stuff even
when they are burned in ash and dispersed over compost,its not such a great move.
Look on some amendment that have good nutrient value and lot of K,
that is stuff you need to feed bacteries and they will later feed plant.
If you use ash from hardwood always use those kinds that are not like Oaks full
of tanine..its better to use European Beach Tree as this are white wood and give
good clean ash.
And be easy with ash,you can easily fuck up soil if added too much..tryed this..been there..and will not use ash any more for building good soil..
Only my 5 cents.
DS
Yeah. I just need to succeed. I am in a bad situation. the weed is crappy and seasonal here and it's crappy expensive season. I just need to grow enough to provide for myself. So I wanted to learn as much as possible but the more I learn the more I wanna know. I have something like OCD so sometimes I find very technical and unneccerry questions in my mind. TBH I am trying to learn as much from a few different web sites. The community has been very helpful and generous for the most parts.He can get compost from a relative. So would you suggest adding ash? He is going to be using molasses as well. Limolax has a few threads
Thx again everyone
I have used a lot of diff ashes in my time...it don't last long in soil ...highly soluable...ashes are a great fertilizer and free..yeehaw...for a newbee I would recommend they water it in like normal fertilizer rather than add it to soil...that way they can figure out the right amount without overdoing it..
You should go with a nice complete fert....
and forget all the ashes nonsense....
Thats how you know what your plant is getting....
and forget all the ashes nonsense....
Thats how you know what your plant is getting....
HerBnGorE(illa)
Member
...hmm....I recall reading a long while back that a guy was having some really good success using ash from corn cobs as a "bloom booster"
...but I'm no organic soil expert, so ....
...but I'm no organic soil expert, so ....
