Below 7 is acid, and above is alkaline. Data from Ohno and Erich, 1990. Bob in Wardensville wants to know how to use his huge store of wood ashes in the garden. The main benefit of wood ash in the soil is to raise the soil pH, or make it less acid. When your soil pH has reached 6.5 to 7.0, stop adding wood ash. Test your soil using an inexpensive test kit if you don’t already know its pH. Most vegetables need a pH of 6.5 to 7.0, so if your soil’s below 6.5 sprinkle wood ash over the surface then rake or fork it in. Using this method, wood ash CCE ranged from 14 to 56 percent. Wood ash may contain useful levels of potassium (about three percent), a major plant nutrient associated with flowering and fruiting. Field trials show a more rapid change in soil pH when wood ash is used as a liming material compared to using limestone. Figure 3. Wood ash for agricultural purpose has a calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) component, which varies from 25-59 percent (Bulletin #2279, Using Wood Ash on Your Farm). Most our northeast soils tend to be acidic, often 5.5 to 7. Wood ash from a campfire Composition Variability in assessment. Always use caution when choosing to implement wood ash in the garden landscape. Application of 10 g kg-1 soil is approximately 11 tons ash/acre. Soil pH is a measure of acidity on a 14 point scale, with 7 being neutral. Slightly acidic is ideal for many plants, as this is the range in which most nutrients are available to them. Wood ash is the powdery residue remaining after the combustion of wood, such as burning wood in a fireplace, bonfire, or an industrial power plant. Wood Ash Application Rate, g kg-1 soil. Effect of wood ash application rate on soil pH. Do not use wood ash if the soil pH is 7.0 or higher, as the addition of wood ash further increases the soil pH. 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