by Sebrina Smith
I am not, by tradition, a yard person. What I mean is this: I only recently acquired a yard to take care of, and while I like getting my hands dirty, I’m not all that good at it yet. But I keep trying. I especially like working in my beds, trying out new plants and planting methods and seeing what works…and what doesn’t.
Here in Texas we have very sandy soil. It needs a lot of organic matter to help plants grow. So, I’m new to composting, too. I found out quickly that it’s a great way to fertilize your garden and send less trash to the curb.
So (to tie all this together) the other day, while planning my 4th of July fete, I began to wonder if I could use the ashes from my grill in my compost pile. I found the answer is yes...and no.
There is some controversy about the use of ash in the garden.
If you’re using wood for combustion in your grill or fireplace, that’s a good choice. Wood ash is generally okay (you may want to keep track of your soil Ph levels in certain areas) to use in your compost pile, or to spread directly into your beds. When wood burns, it creates potash, which is one of the best fertilizers you can get.
Charcoal, on the other hand, is tricky.
Charcoal that is made from coal is not acceptable in any form in the garden, and you might want to rethink even using it to cook your meat. It contains heavy metals and chemicals that can be hazardous to you and if composted it will stay in the soil for a long time.
But, as anyone who has ever wanted a juicy grilled steak or chicken leg knows, it’s hard to get a good grill fire going using just wood chips. The slow burn created from wood is really better for smoking meat or enjoying a glass of wine by the fire. If you get a wood fire hot enough to char anything, you might end up with your meat turning to ash, too.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t have your burgers and fertilize your garden, too. Just be sure to choose charcoal made from 100% hard wood. You can find choices like oak and hickory on line or at many Whole Foods Markets and some Target stores. This type of ash should be okay for occasional use in your garden or compost pile.
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