With the colder winter months in front of us, fireplaces and woodstoves will start to get more use. With woodburning, ash is always an end product that needs to be disposed of. With a little pre-planning and the tips from this article, you can turn a waste product into a valuable resource around the homestead and in the garden.
Before we begin our discussion of the uses of ash, a special note of caution needs to be mentioned. Take wood ash away from the woodstove or fireplace in a metal bucket. Never store it in plastic, at least not until the ash is absolutely cool. This way, you avoid burning down buildings (a potentially devastating risk) or damaging surfaces in your house.