The benefits of ash for pumpkin crops
Wood ash is a product obtained by burning plants. The ash contains:
- large amounts of potassium;
- phosphorus;
- calcium;
- magnesium.
These are just the main trace elements. It is known that the composition ash contains more than half of the entire periodic table of chemical elements.
Wood ash is used as fertilizer for berry crops and fruit trees... For feeding, use 1% or 1.5% ash solution. For its preparation, 100 or 150 g of ash, respectively, are added to 10 liters of water.
Ash is essential for pumpkin crops, especially for cucumbers. They are fertilized with a solution of ash or poured dry on the leaves to enrich the soil with potassium. If you bring dry ash under the bushes, be sure to water the plants, otherwise the ash will burn the roots.
It is important to remember that the composition of wood ash can vary depending on the type of fuel burned. If you burn straw, the ash will contain less than 2% potassium. This ash contains about 30% phosphorus and magnesium. If you burn birch firewood, then it will contain about 12% potassium.
Ash reduces the acidity of the soil, so it cannot be applied under coniferous crops. Coniferous plants are not fed with wood ash. It is used exclusively for controlling pests and fungal diseases.
Treatment for fungal diseases and treatment against pests
In order to prepare a remedy for fungal diseases, 1 g of laundry soap per 1 liter of the preparation is added to a 1% ash solution. This solution is sprayed with cucumbers affected by fungal diseases.
Also, this tool is used to treat plants affected by aphids. In order to get rid of slugs, it is necessary to scatter the ashes near the lashes of pumpkin crops and on their leaves. After rains, the procedure must be repeated.
Ash storage
Ash has no expiration date, so you can use a natural mineral fertilizer harvested several years ago. If the storage conditions are observed, the ash will not lose its useful properties.
Ash is stored in a dark place in a closed container. The main storage condition is a dry room. You can use plastic buckets with paint lids or plastic bags that are tightly tied.
The ash must not get moisture. If water gets into it, the ash will lose its useful properties. It can be used to structure the soil, but it does not make sense as a mineral fertilizer.
Read also the article: ash as fertilizer in the garden!