I thought ashes were supposed to be a good additive for your soil. I always turn some into my beds in the spring. Am I doing the wrong thing?
No, you are not doing anything wrong. Wood ash increases soil pH, so you should be sure that your soil is unsuitably acidic before adding.
I regularly add wood ash from the fireplace to my compost heap. I don't like anything to go to waste.
Here is the info from an entry in my garden/composting notebook:
Wood ash contains potassium as well as phosphate in small amounts, as well as trace amounts of micronutrients like iron, boron, manganese and zinc. The primary component of wood ash is calcium carbonate. This acts to make the soil more alkali, much as adding lime would do. Have your garden soil tested at your local cooperative extension office to determine its pH level, then add wood ash to garden soil that is acidic or neutral to adjust the pH and enhance the soil's nutritive content.My notes also indicate that asparagus benefits from alkaline soil and so do junipers.