Feeding cucumbers with ash in greenhouses and open ground + protection from diseases and pests

For good growth and development of tomatoes and cucumbers, it is not at all necessary to use complex compounds and, especially, chemicals as fertilizers. There are a lot of effective folk remedies that have been tested over the years, and you didn’t even know about the beneficial properties of some.

Of course, each gardener decides for himself which fertilizers to use both in the greenhouse and in the open ground for different crops, so we will simply leave you with several well-proven, safe recipes for traditional fertilizers, and you will determine for yourself whether they are suitable for your garden.

What kind of ash can be used for feeding?

When we talk about ash, we mean the non-combustible residue after burning various plants and trees. If you need to obtain ash with a high potassium content, then you need to use deciduous trees and grass. Phosphorus-enriched ash remains after burning conifers and wheat.

Cucumbers also respond gratefully to the ash that is obtained by burning birch bark and various other plants. The main thing is that it does not contain any admixtures of household waste, which contains substances hazardous to the health of the plantings.

What compositions should be used and when?

According to agrotechnical standards, cucumbers need nitrogen-phosphorus compounds with the addition of magnesium and calcium for normal growth. Considering the long fruiting period, the processing scheme looks like this:

1. After 2 weeks from planting or sowing.
2. At the beginning of flowering.
3. During fruiting.
4. At the end of the growing season to extend the harvest period.

The fertilization process is stopped 3 weeks before the end of the growing season. Typically, fertilizer is added to water when watering. Cucumbers need nitrogen and potassium. If watering is insufficient, the yield will decrease, the shape of the vegetables will be deformed, and the juiciness will disappear.

Tomatoes take root faster and more actively on fertilized soil. Therefore, the land is prepared, and then the seedlings are planted. Tomatoes need a lot of potassium during growth. After the bushes grow, the need is reduced by half. You can prepare the beds using compost and manure, but avoiding an excess of nitrogen - it will give an increase in greenery to the detriment of fruiting. It is important to choose the right dosage of nutrients. Potassium is needed for fruit formation, nitrogen is needed for greenery, and phosphorus is needed for growth.

Why feed cucumbers with ash?

As a rule, the soil often lacks potassium and phosphorus. The ash contains a fairly high concentration of these elements. Such fertilizer will be a worthy alternative to expensive industrial products. Phosphorus is necessary for cucumbers to form full-fledged and viable ovaries (for setting), and potassium helps resist various diseases and pests, strengthens the root system and maintains the water balance necessary for good growth.

Important! Do not use ash that contains paper, plastic or other debris for fertilizer. It will do nothing but harm to plants.

Ash is used as a top dressing in a number of cases:

• when it is necessary to prepare the soil for upcoming plantings;
• if the acidity of the soil is too high and needs to be reduced;
• when it is necessary to support cucumbers during flowering to form good ovaries.

Errors in using ash as a fertilizer for cucumbers

Video: Soil for cucumbers in a greenhouse

Novice gardeners are interested in whether ash is needed when planting cucumbers. Experts give a positive answer to this question, because this allows you to increase the productivity of the beds without the use of modern chemical fertilizers. And if a gardener doubts whether it is possible to sprinkle ash under cucumbers and how to do it correctly, it is best to familiarize yourself with the list of mistakes that gardeners make when planting vegetables and using ash flour.

The errors are as follows:

• Manure is added to the ground along with ash elements. This is strictly prohibited, since the plants lose most of their nitrogen, which leads to slow growth of the bushes. The leaf cover of plants practically does not develop, which leads to the death of 20% of the crop.
• They are trying to increase the productivity of the site through the haphazard use of phosphorus fertilizers incompatible with ash. This causes harm to the soil and growing bushes, since salts that are not absorbed by vegetables accumulate on the site, which reduces soil fertility. Bushes cannot process these compounds. The period of ovary formation is prolonged, and the fruits grow small.
• Beginning gardeners try to use ash flour to grow cucumber and tomato bushes on calcareous soils. This leads to unnecessary alkalization of the soil in the beds, which sharply reduces the fertility of the site.
• Another mistake that novice gardeners make is the use of waste obtained from burning coal or plastic bottles rather than wood ash flour. Experts do not recommend using them for fertilizing, because productivity drops sharply and the amount of toxins in the soil increases. This leads to poisoning of people who consume vegetables grown in areas where the plants were fed with substandard ash waste.

Instead of ash flour from coniferous and deciduous trees, it is recommended to use ash from the stems of buckwheat, corn and other cultivated plants. Some of the ash waste can be used as nitrogen, potassium or phosphorus fertilizers, since different grains have different compositions of microelements:

When is the best time to fertilize cucumbers with ash?

When planting cucumbers, you should remember that the plantings require additional nutrients, which you will have to periodically add to the soil to obtain a rich harvest. But at different stages of growth and development they need different microelements. Newly planted plants will benefit from nitrogenous fertilizers. During flowering and ovary formation, cucumbers should be fed with a cocktail of magnesium and potassium.

All this is fully contained in the ash. It is recommended to apply it to the ground four times during the entire fruiting period. Such nutrition will contribute to the appearance of new ovaries, which, in turn, will be the key to obtaining a rich harvest at the end of the season.

If your plants are limp, grow slowly, and have too few flowers, these are sure signs of nutrient deficiency. The use of ash will help replenish it. The only thing it doesn't contain is nitrogen. The thing is that during combustion it evaporates. So you will have to apply this fertilizer separately. Gardeners do not recommend combining it with ash to avoid the formation of ammonia, which is dangerous for plantings.

When should you not use ash in the garden?

Ash cannot be used as a fertilizer for plants in the following cases:

• there is a lot of potassium in the soil (the plants stretch out, and the leaves on them become stained, turn pale and fall off);
• 2-4 weeks after fertilizing plants with nitrogen;
• plants affected by chlorosis (white spots on the foliage).

You cannot use ash powder if you burned various types of garbage (glossy magazines, plastic, etc.) along with firewood.

Ash is a natural fertilizer, however, plants should be fed with it in accordance with the recommendations. Frequent application of large amounts of ash can negatively affect the development of flowers, vegetables, and berries.

Advantages and disadvantages of ash as a fertilizer

Ash, as a fertilizer, has undeniable advantages, proven over decades of use:

• completely natural composition;
• ease of use;
• high efficiency of application;
• high coefficient of penetration into the soil due to the fine fraction;
• neutralization of soil acidity;
• no material costs for obtaining fertilizer.

Despite the apparent benefits and complete environmental friendliness, obtaining ash is not as simple as it seems.

Harmful use:

• when burning wood and especially grass, acrid smoke appears, which irritates the mucous membranes;
• it is necessary to prepare a special place for the fire and prevent household waste from getting into it;
• when there is an excess of ash in the soil, a reverse reaction occurs - instead of saturating it with microelements, it is overloaded with salts, as a result of which aeration is difficult.

Wood ash for cucumbers: benefits and harms

Ash for cucumbers
This ordinary wood ash has many positive characteristics:

• completely natural composition (no chemicals);
• no chlorine;
• improvement of soil structure;
• accessible form (fine fraction) for rapid absorption by plants;
• deoxidizing abilities;
• simplicity and simplicity of use;
• raw materials are practically free and always at hand.

However, there are also some negative points:

• in the process of preparing ash, that is, the combustion itself, which destroys the remains of vegetation, acrid, smoky smoke is released (the process itself is a fire hazard);
• Failure to comply with the recommendations banning the use of household waste causes harm not only to the plants being fed, but also to people;
• impossibility of use on limestone soils, since ash powder makes them even more alkaline;
• garden soil becomes oversaturated with salts (salted) if ash is used unreasonably often (more than 6-7 times during the entire growing season).

Feeding cucumbers with ash in open ground

During the entire growth period of cucumbers, from seedlings to adult fruit-bearing plants, they should be fed with ash no more than 6 times.

The first fertilizer is applied at the initial phase of development. Next, you can feed the plantings after they have two full leaves. One more time you can support cucumbers with ash during the flowering period, then at the beginning of the appearance of the first fruits. After the future cucumbers have formed, the plants can continue to be fed once every 2 weeks (in open ground).

Application of dry ash

Dry ash is used to prepare the soil for planting. When digging up the soil in the beds, ash is added to it (dusting is carried out) at the rate of one cup per square meter. If the soil is dense, then it is better to start preparation in the fall. For sandy soil, such advance fertilization is not required, otherwise all the nutrients will go away along with the water.

During sowing, gardeners recommend preparing holes 10 cm deep along the line of future plantings in advance. A little ash is poured into them and covered with earth on top.

Important! Ash does not combine well with mineral fertilizers, so you should not apply them at the same time. This is fraught with the loss of the nutritional properties of such fertilizer due to nitrogen deficiency and phosphorus conversion.

How to prepare liquid fertilizer from ash

To prepare the solution, dilute 2-3 cups of ash in a liter of water. This substrate must sit for 14 days before use. It is recommended to water plantings with it at the rate of 0.5 liters per plant.

Important! Make sure that the resulting ash substrate is no colder than 22 degrees. Due to hypothermia, cucumbers can develop fungal diseases.

Why do you need ash for the garden?

Ash is a product of complete combustion of organic matter, unlike coal, which can be used to start a fire and cook food. It has a fragile structure and consists of burnt plant and wood tissues, which turns into ash under mechanical stress.

For the garden, stove or vegetable ash is used. Residues from burning construction waste or plastic bottles are not suitable, even if there are only a few of them among the organic matter. Chemical elements formed during combustion that enter the soil and plants are unsafe for humans.

Wood ash for fertilizing the garden

Wood ash contains many microelements that are easily available for absorption by plants. The content and quantity of elements varies depending on the type of organic matter burned, but the approximate percentage ratio is as follows:

• up to 17% carbonate, silicate, calcium sulfate and potassium orthophosphate;
• up to 12% calcium chloride;
• up to 5% carbonate, silicate and magnesium sulfate.

Calcium predominates in the ash of deciduous trees, phosphorus prevails in coniferous ash, and lime predominates in peat ash.

How does fertilizing with ash affect plants and soil:

• increases the level of alkali in the soil;
• favors the growth of beneficial bacteria;
• protects crops from the development of fungal diseases;
• neutralizes soil acidity;
• has a long-lasting effect for 3 years.

Ash in the garden: use in dry and liquid form

• Ash as a fertilizer is used in liquid and dry form. To obtain an ash solution, 1 glass of ash (100 g) is diluted in 10 liters of water, left for a week and fed to the plants when watering. The indicated capacity is approximately enough for 1-2 sq.m. beds.
• Dry ash is used when planting seedlings, or before the procedure, when preparing the soil in the spring: per 1 sq.m. take a glass of ash (100 g). A ditch up to 15 cm is dug around the plant, dry ash is poured into it, and earth is sprinkled on top.

Use of dry ash against pests
Ash is used not only as a fertilizer, but also used to control pests:

• Dry ash is used to dust the plants in the morning after watering.
• Spraying with soap solution is possible. To do this, sift 300 g of ash through a fine sieve, boil for 30 minutes, then filter again and add 50 g. soap shavings. Spraying is carried out in the dry evening.

Feeding vegetables with ash has a beneficial effect on plant growth, protects against pests, loosens and fertilizes the soil, and improves the taste of fruits. This fertilizer is suitable for many crops, but it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of their cultivation in order to know what consistency it can be used in.

Preparing fertilizer for future use

It often happens that there is too much ash, and it will not be possible to use all of it in a season. Do not rush to throw away such a valuable product; if stored properly, it will not lose its beneficial properties. The remaining ash must be placed in a thick plastic bag and tied properly.

You can take any container or box. The main thing is to close it tightly and place the container with fertilizer in a dry place, for example, in a barn or pantry. The only thing that can spoil the ash is moisture.

Needs of tomatoes and cucumbers at their summer cottage

Ash as a fertilizer for tomatoes and cucumbers provides plants with potassium and phosphorus. Phosphorus forms a strong root system, allowing crops to absorb nitrogen and potassium. Without phosphorus, plants weaken and do not gain green mass, even in the presence of nitrogen in the soil. Phosphorus deficiency can be determined by the color of the leaves - they take on a purple hue.

Phosphorus is an element that binds to the soil and remains in it for a long time. Phosphorus fertilizers are applied in autumn or spring. Feeding tomatoes with ash is also carried out in autumn or spring.

In the fall, after harvesting, the beds are prepared for the next season by adding dry ashes for digging. During the winter, soil bacteria manage to process part of the substance; the rest is decomposed gradually, releasing nutritional components gradually. This explains the long-term effect of the fertilizer. It can be applied once every 2–3 years.

Potassium is responsible for the ripening and consistency of fruits. If there is a lack of potassium in the soil, the fruits have an ugly shape and ripen unevenly. The leaves dry out at the edges, and the process of photosynthesis is disrupted. When growing crops for sale, there is a chance of losing income.

The picture below shows all the typical signs of potassium deficiency in tomatoes.

The third most important element in the nutrition of tomatoes is calcium. For information, tomatoes are a source of calcium for the human body. Plants consume calcium from the soil, provided it is there.

When using mineral fertilizers, calcium must be added separately in the form of calcium nitrate, organic substances, and lime. In the ash solution, this microelement is found in the form of an organic substance that is easily absorbed by plants.

Calcium affects the metabolism in the fruits of tomatoes and cucumbers. With calcium starvation, the pulp of tomatoes may change - white, hard veins appear inside the fruit. Sometimes such tomatoes cannot be eaten.

If other signs of calcium deficiency are visible - blossom end rot, necrosis and yellowing of the upper leaves, then you urgently need to apply an ash solution at the root.

Overfeeding plants with nitrogen fertilizers without adding potassium and calcium means losing the harvest. Since the fruits will not ripen if the greenery is in poor condition. The area around the stalk will remain green, but the fruit itself will be spotted in color.

Correct use of ash fertilizer for cucumbers in a greenhouse

Experienced gardeners recommend changing the soil in the greenhouse every 3-5 years. Unlike growing in open ground, cucumbers grow and develop there much faster, so they require less fertilizer. For greenhouse plantings, it will be enough to use a solution of ash only 3 times per season.

To prevent the appearance of fungus, you can additionally treat the internal surfaces of the walls and roof in the greenhouse, including those made of plycarbonate. The main thing is to carry out these manipulations in the morning on a not-so-hot day, so that the moisture that gets on the leaves dries before the evening and the night of planting leaves completely dry.

Pest repellent

Ash for cucumbers and tomatoes is a means of protection against bacterial and fungal infections and garden pests.

To prepare the product, you need to take:

• 300 g of fine ash powder;

• pour 3 liters of water;

• boil for half an hour;

• leave until it cools;

• add another 7 liters of water;

• mix in 50 g of grated laundry soap so that the solution sticks to the leaves.

Spray all bushes in the morning or evening. The procedure cannot be carried out before rain - the “medicine” will be washed off with water.

A dry substance is used against white or gray rot, simply sprinkling it on the affected areas.

To disinfect seeds before planting, add 2 tablespoons of ash to a liter of boiling water. Leave for 2 days, filter. The seeds are lowered for 12 hours. Nutrients stimulate germination and destroy fungal infections, strengthening plant immunity.

Feeding with ash at different stages of cucumber growth: table

In the table we will show you the optimal combination of ash and water for preparing a nutrient solution used at different stages of cucumber development

How to feed tomatoes and cucumbers with “green manure”

The so-called “green fertilizer” - an infusion of various finely chopped weeds - also gives a good effect. This fertilizing with a large amount of nitrogen, potassium and iron heals cultivated plants, stimulates their growth and the formation of chlorophyll. Earthworms love soil watered with plant food.

Most vegetable and fruit crops, as well as flowers, respond well to green fertilizer, with the exception of peas, beans, onions, and garlic.

Such a green fertilizer can be made from nettles, from nettles, from dandelions, or from a mixture of freshly picked weeds (woodlice, plantain, alfalfa, coltsfoot, etc.). These ingredients are finely chopped and filled with water in any large container (preferably plastic or enamel, since the infusion can react with pure metal). Ash and mullein (manure, bird droppings) are added to the mixture, everything is thoroughly mixed and left to “ripen” for about 1-1.5 weeks with periodic stirring of the mixture. For 5-6 kg of “green stuff” you need 10 tbsp. ash and 4-8 liters of mullein.

It is important to close the container with a lid or a tight bag during fermentation (leaving a sufficient air gap inside or drilling holes in the lid/bag), since during decomposition the infusion not only darkens and foams, but also acquires a very unpleasant odor. To get rid of it, some advise adding valerian leaves or crackers to the ripening fertilizer, but this helps little.

Before use, the infusion is filtered, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 and the resulting liquid is poured over tomatoes or cucumbers at the root level at the rate of 1-2 liters per plant.

During the season, you can carry out 2-3 such “green” feedings.

• What can you feed with nettles - the best recipes for green fertilizer

  We tell you how to use nettle infusion in the garden to feed plants.

Recipes for feeding cucumbers with ash

Let's look at different folk recipes for feeding cucumbers with ash and tell you how to prepare them step by step.

Foliar feeding of cucumbers with urea and ash

Top dressing from ash is used not only for root treatment, but also for foliar treatment.

Ash

From a nematode

Gardeners recommend combining ash with urea to achieve better results. You can treat plants with this mixture throughout the season. But it is better to do this in the morning, so that by evening the plantings are completely dry.

Urea is the main source of nitrogen for your cucumbers. At the initial stages of growth of young plantings, it will increase viability and promote the growth of green mass. During flowering and fruiting, urea mixed with ash will help protect plants from harmful factors, which will have a positive effect on yields at the end of the season.

In the table below, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the proportions of mixing ash and urea to obtain the ideal substrate per bucket of water for different stages of cucumber growth.

Important! Treatment does not need to be carried out too often; once every 10 days will be enough. Otherwise, an excess of urea may occur, which will increase the level of nitrates in cucumbers.

All of the following supplements can be easily prepared at home.

Foliar feeding of cucumbers with superphosphate and ash

Superphosphate is the main source of phosphorus for garden plantings. For normal growth and a rich future harvest, it is added already with the appearance of the first inflorescences of cucumbers.

Phosphorus-containing fertilizer Ash

To prepare fertilizer for 1 sq.m. gardeners recommend following this recipe:

• 250 g wood ash;
• 15 g superphosphate;
• 10 drops of boric acid.

The resulting dry mixture must be dissolved in a bucket of water. It should be noted that superphosphates do not dissolve very well in liquid. You need to fill them with hot water, then leave until completely dissolved for about 48 hours.

This feeding is ideal for cucumbers that are starting to bloom, even at the stage of bud formation. You need to apply it once every 14 days, this will be quite enough. But during the fruiting period, when the ovaries are already sufficiently formed, it is better to remove boric acid from the fertilizer.

The action of boric acid is aimed at improving the susceptibility of pistils to pollen. It is especially necessary during periods when the weather is not the most suitable for pollination, for example, rain, cold, extreme heat or complete calm.

Foliar feeding of cucumbers with nettles and ash

Nettle will be an excellent addition to an infusion using ash. It has a huge number of beneficial properties and is rich in various microelements.

herbal infusion

Liquid infusion

Gardeners widely use nettles to fertilize their plantings. In order to prepare a nutrient substrate you will need:

• 2.5 kg chopped nettles,
• 250 g wood ash,
• 10 liters of water.

The fertilizer should be mixed in an enamel container. Experts advise using warm rainwater, since its composition is the most optimal for working with plantings. It is better to prepare a mixture from young nettles that have not yet bloomed.

At first, only the nettle is filled with water, and after a day, ash is added to it. The resulting solution is left open in a warm place, or even better, in the sun. After 10 days, it must be filtered and diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10.

Treatment with nettle fertilizer is carried out once every 3 weeks. This should be done during the growth period of young plantings. If you start applying fertilizer during the formation of fruits, this can provoke an excessive increase in green mass, while all the forces of the plant should be aimed at forming a good harvest.

Foliar feeding with ash and iodine

Many gardeners use a mixture of ash and iodine to prepare foliar feeding. To do this you need to take:

• 10 liters of water,
• 300 g wood ash,
• 25-30 drops of medical iodine.

All ingredients are mixed together. The ash will impart its beneficial properties to fertilizing after about 2-3 days of infusion in a warm place. This amount of fertilizer will be enough for you to process 2 m² of plantings. It needs to be done every two weeks; the development phase of the cucumbers is not particularly important here. The beneficial properties of the substrate will be useful both during the growth period and at the time of formation of the future harvest.

Ash

Iodine

On hot days, foliar feeding should be carried out only in the evening, so that drops remaining on the leaves do not cause sunburn. If the day turns out to be cool, and the treatment has already been planned, then it can be carried out during the day so that by the evening the leaf is completely dry and at night the cucumbers do not experience excessive moisture, which can lead to the appearance of fungus.

Feeding cucumbers with ash and vinegar

Pour a glass of wood ash into a bucket (10-12 liters) and immediately extinguish it with half a glass of vinegar. Wait until the ash stops boiling. After this, fill the bucket with water to the top and immediately water the cucumbers (0.5-1 liter for each bush). Alternatively, the ash can be infused in water and then strained. But this takes more time, but here everything is ready instantly.

Important! Cucumbers are watered with this solution no more than once a week. In this case, between waterings with fertilizer there should be at least one watering with ordinary water. Also keep in mind that such feeding is useful for cucumbers only 14-20 days after planting the seedlings in the ground.

Feeding cucumbers with nettles, yeast and ash

For a 40 liter capacity you will need:

• a bucket of nettles;
• 500-700 g old jam;
• 100 g yeast;
• 500 g wood ash;
• 3 liters of manure.

All ingredients are combined and poured with warm water, mixed. Leave to infuse for 10 days.

Healthy! The container can be placed directly in the greenhouse, left open, and kept there for 10 days while the fertilizing infuses. The vapors from this mixture have a positive effect on planting tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

When the fertilizer is ready, mix it again, then dilute 1 liter of infusion in 10 liters of water. This is a ready-made fertilizer, you need to use it. 3 liters for each bush.

Alternatively, yeast nutrition can be mixed with crushed eggshells.

The same ash-based fertilizers are also applicable for growing cucumbers on balconies, loggias and window sills.

How to make an infusion from wood ash

It is important! To feed plants, you can only use wood and plant ash. Unburned residues from plastic, rubber, and synthetic products cannot be used as fertilizers.

A nutritious ash infusion for feeding vegetables, berries, shrubs and flowers growing in the country is prepared according to the following recipe:

• pour 3 liter cans of ash powder into a bucket;
• First pour in some hot water and stir;
• add hot water to the brim;
• to cover with a lid;
• leave for two days.

For root feeding (watering at the root) of garden and vegetable plants, each liter of ash infusion is diluted in 9 liters of water.

For foliar feeding (spraying on the leaf), the ash infusion must be filtered. Then add water to the remaining volume to make 10 liters. Before spraying the plants, the ash infusion is diluted 1:10 with water (1 liter of ash infusion per 10 liters of water).

Ash from diseases and pests of cucumbers

To get rid of diseases and pests, the ground around the bushes should be sprinkled with dry ash. Since cucumbers love moist soil, after applying fertilizer it is necessary not to water it too much.

To destroy powdery mildew, gray rot and other fungal diseases, pour 10 liters of water into a glass of ash and leave to steep overnight. In the morning it needs to be stirred thoroughly; if there is a residue, you can even strain the substance, and then spray the plantings or even barely hatched seedlings.

Gardeners have long recognized the effectiveness of a mixture of wood ash and tobacco dust in the fight against cruciferous flea beetle. The method of preparing it is exactly the same as described above, only you need to add a glass of tobacco dust or crumbs to a glass of ash.

A pure concentrated decoction of wood ash will help against aphids on cucumber leaves. To prepare it, 300 g of ash is poured into a liter of water and boiled for about 20 minutes, after which it is poured into an enamel bucket with 10 liters of water. If you add a little mothballs there, you will get a good repeller for flies. Another excellent remedy for aphids: dilute 200 g of wood ash and 50 g of laundry soap (planing it) in 10 liters of water. Bring this solution to a boil and leave to cool, then spray the cucumbers.

Important! To prevent the appearance of spider mites, cucumbers are often dusted with ash or tobacco dust. But it is worth keeping in mind that this method is effective only for greenhouses, since in open ground the protective dust is washed off quite quickly.

How to prepare an ash solution for irrigation

Rich in potassium, calcium and other useful elements, the ash solution can be used instead of fertilizers sold in stores. Prepare an ash solution according to the following recipe:

• pour 1 cup of powder into a bucket or directly into a 10-liter watering can;
• pour water from the barrel into the container (the water should not be cold);
• Mix the solution well and use for watering plants.

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Wood ash and charcoal against rot on cucumbers

Successful treatment of rot that has already begun is almost impossible, except in the early stages (coal and ash, as a rule, simply delay decay). But as a preventive measure, they are just right. Everything needs to be done consistently.

1. The first time ash and crushed coal are used is at the planting stage. 100 g of each component per planting hole. Everything is mixed with humus and turf soil and the seedlings are planted.
2. Next, ash and coal will be needed during flowering and the formation of the first ovaries. After fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, the root zone and trunk circles of cucumbers are sprinkled with ash (from 100 to 200 g per plant), and pieces of coal are scattered nearby.
3. As a rule, the first symptoms of stem and root rot appear in late June or early July. At this time, coal is most important for cucumbers. It effectively removes mold, working like a sponge. Coal is laid out on the bed (300-300 g per 1 sq.m.). This reduces the humidity threshold, which allows rot to form and mold to appear. By the end of August, there is nothing left of large pieces of coal; it dissolves, helping the cucumbers not to spoil.
4. After harvesting the bushes for digging, add 100 g of ash and coal per 1 sq.m.

Feeding tomatoes, peppers and eggplants with ash

Ash as a fertilizer for peppers and tomatoes begins to be applied even when digging the beds. To do this, for 1 sq. meter scatter 3 cups of powder.

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In spring or early summer, when seedlings of eggplants, tomatoes and peppers are planted, each hole is fertilized with a handful of natural fertilizer.

During the growth and development of plants in the summer, before each watering, ash powder is scattered between the bushes, after which the soil is abundantly watered and loosened.

Common mistakes

Feeding cucumbers with ash is not a difficult task and does not require any special skills from gardeners. But even despite this, some gardeners often make typical mistakes when working with this fertilizer. Remember that you absolutely cannot do several things:

1. Burn household waste along with wood. It is unacceptable for household waste to get into the fire with future ash, since their combustion products will be dangerous for plants and can lead either to the death of the plantings or to the appearance of nitrates in the fruits.
2. Add ash to the soil immediately after adding lime. Such manipulations will reduce the taste of the crop.
3. Use manure and ashes at the same time. The substances in their composition neutralize each other’s actions, so there will definitely be no benefit from such a fertilizer.
4. Violate the dosage during the preparation of fertilizing. Many gardeners are convinced that the more ash you put in, the better the plant will be. But this is not so; an excess of microelements can even lead to the death of plantings.
5. Fertilize the soil with a mixture of ash and complex mineral fertilizers. The ash already contains useful microelements, which are sufficient for plants. You only need to use one thing.
6. Feed fertile soil with ash. It is difficult to make good soil even better without upsetting the balance. But it’s easy to spoil it. Therefore, if your land is still fertile, then it will be quite enough to carry out no more than two feedings per season.

Feeding with ash: preparing an infusion for caring for indoor plants

Feeding with ash: what is its benefit for green pets?

The most useful is the ash obtained by burning sunflower and buckwheat, since they contain a lot of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, mora, manganese, sulfur, molybdenum and boron. All these microelements are necessary for the proper development of plants, and indoor flowers grown in pots especially need them.

• Feeding home flowers
• What is root feeding of plants

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It is known that potassium chloride, contained in many store-bought fertilizers, acidifies the soil, which is completely unsuitable for growing indoor flowers and can lead to their disease. Wood ash, on the contrary, prevents the soil from oxidizing and, due to its composition, can completely replace mineral fertilizers.

But when preparing the composition for feeding, you need to carefully ensure that the mixture does not contain unnecessary elements in the form of rubber, film, packaging containers, nails that may end up on the surface of the initial product, since they are unlikely to benefit your potted pets.

How to prepare liquid fertilizer from ash?

Feeding flowers and indoor plants with wood ash can be done either in dry form or in the form of an infusion. To do this, from 50 to 150 grams of the substance are diluted in a bucket of water. When adding infusion to the soil, it should be stirred constantly - this will allow the remaining ash, which does not dissolve, but contains a lot of phosphorus, to be evenly distributed over the entire surface. In addition, this infusion is used for liming the soil of domestic plants, since it contains 18-36% calcium carbonate.

When using an infusion of ash to feed plants in the form of fertilizer for indoor flowers, it is important to follow the correct dosage. Therefore, for ease of calculation, we present the values ​​of its weight for different types of containers:

• a teaspoon contains 2 grams of dry mixture;
• a tablespoon holds 6 grams of composition without a slide;
• a two-hundred-gram glass holds 100 grams;
• a half-liter glass jar can store 250 grams of the substance;
• a liter jar can hold 500 grams.

What is important to remember when using ash?

Root feeding of plants with an infusion of plant ash should not take place simultaneously with the addition of organic fertilizers containing ammonia and nitrogen to the soil where indoor plants grow. These include urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and manure. And you can start applying nitrogen fertilizers only four weeks after feeding the flowers.

It is not recommended to mix ash with phosphorus fertilizers, since this can lead to retrogradation of plants, that is, a decrease in the digestibility of phosphorus compounds.

This fertilizing should be applied quite carefully, in small portions, to prevent oversaturation of the soil with useful elements. To dilute the correct and sufficiently saturated solution, you need to take only 100 g of dry matter per ten-liter bucket of water, mix thoroughly, infuse and use the finished mixture throughout the season. After the solution has been applied to the soil, its effect continues for another 2–4 years.

Care must be taken when using and storing ash. When working with this fertilizer, it is necessary to protect your eyes, hands, mouth and nose from getting it inside the human body, as poisoning may occur. And you need to store the purchased bag in a dry, cool place, as excess moisture can take away all its useful components from the substance.

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Ash is used as a fertilizer by almost every gardener. And it is right! Ash is a natural gift of nature for gardeners, especially for those who avoid industrial mineral fertilizers. Potassium, calcium, phosphorus, manganese and other trace elements are contained in the ash in the best proportions and in a form easily digestible by plants. The richest in composition is considered to be ash from burning straw, but wood ash from birch and other deciduous and coniferous trees is most accessible to everyone and no less effective.

What are the benefits of ash for garden crops? What to fertilize with ash? How to use ash to protect plantings from pests and diseases? Today we will deal with these and other questions.

Let us consider in order the most popular areas of application of ash in our “haciendas”.

Tips from Mister Summer Resident

Feeding cucumbers with ash is very useful for normal growth and development of plantings. It promotes the formation of ovaries and a good harvest. But in order for the effectiveness of its use to be maximum, it is necessary to follow several useful tips from experienced gardeners.

1. After dry ash is added to the soil, it must be watered moderately right away so that the nutrients reach the roots.
2. Use the ash to prepare a solution in which you can soak the seeds before planting to increase their viability. To do this, 20 g of ash is dissolved in a glass of water, the resulting concentrate is infused for at least 24 hours, after which the seeds are placed in it for 4-5 hours.
3. It is better to feed cucumbers with ash more often, but less. Plantings absorb nutrients gradually and little by little, so one dose of fertilizer can be spread over 1-2 days.
4. During the period of fruit formation, it is advisable to reduce the amount of fertilizer applied to the soil so that excess elements that can distort the taste do not end up in future cucumbers.

How to prepare ash for cucumbers

Wood ash as a fertilizer for cucumbers must be properly prepared. Can be burned:

• deciduous trees;

• conifers;

• plant residues – grass, plant tops;

• manure;

• peat.

Depending on what substance was the raw material, the ash composition changes. For example, when burning peat you can get up to 25% calcium, up to 2% phosphorus and up to 5% potassium.

When burning trees - up to 40% calcium, up to 6% phosphorus and up to 12% potassium. Manure – 10% calcium, 5% phosphorus, 15% potassium.

The most potassium can be obtained by burning the tops of buckwheat, wheat, rye and sunflower. In the latter case - up to 35% of the substance.

Knowing the amount of useful substances in various plants, you can purposefully use feeding cucumbers with a certain type of ash.

The benefits and harms of ash for cucumbers are relative concepts. It's all about quantity. In other words, you need to observe moderation in everything. Fertilizing cucumbers with wood ash is used when it is necessary to raise the pH level of the soil, that is, reduce acidity.

The calcium content in the form of carbonates, silicates, sulfates and chlorides allows you to help plants in the shortest possible time. In acidic soils, the absorption of nutrients and microelements is impaired, plants begin to get sick and grow poorly.

Video: Wood ash for cucumbers

It is impossible, or rather not recommended, to use ash for cucumbers on alkaline soils. Excessively high pH harms plants and promotes the penetration of heavy metal ions into tissues. Plants cannot absorb nutrition when the soil is highly alkaline. According to statistics, solonetzes are the most problematic soils for growing cultivated plants.

Ash also has disadvantages. For example, the lack of nitrogen in the composition. But this shortcoming can be easily compensated for by adding cow dung to the ash or vice versa - ash from burning plants into compost.

HOW TO CHOOSE ASH?

Not every ash is beneficial for plants. If you burn household waste with a large amount of painted boards coated with varnish, as well as paper products, such as newspapers, magazines, boxes, then such combustion products will only cause harm. Such ash contains a large number of chemical compounds. More details can be found in the article: Ash - benefits and harm
However, even when burning residues of natural origin (branches, firewood, peat, etc.), ash is obtained with varying degrees of benefit. For example, wood from species such as linden, spruce, aspen, and other soft varieties contains a lot of calcium.

At the same time, harder wood species (oak, larch, birch, poplar, etc.) make it possible to obtain ash, which is rich in potassium. Fertilizer with this composition can be obtained by burning herbaceous plants: sunflower stems, potato tops, nettles, buckwheat.

On a note! Ash from trees growing near roads, chemical plants and other unfavorable areas is not the best product for feeding plants. It will contain a high content of harmful chemicals.

Where can I get ash?

Burning leaves, garden waste, and branches is punishable by a fine, since the smoke generated during combustion is harmful to the environment. But where then can you get the ash? Valuable fertilizer is formed when burning logs for barbecuing, or as a result of heating a stove or bathhouse. You can also buy it in stores for gardeners and gardeners.

Store ash in a dry place, in an airtight container. If moisture gets into the container or bag, the benefits of fertilizing will decrease.

If wood waste was burned with other waste - for example, plastic, or the wood was covered with varnish, paints, chemical impregnations (for example, furniture or parts of a wall), then it is prohibited to use such ash for fertilizer.

Ash composition

Wood ash is obtained not only as a result of burning branches and tree trunks. Tops, leaves, and dry grass are used.

The chemical composition is also determined by the type of plant from which it is obtained. Thus, ash from birch logs contains up to 40% calcium, and from straw - only 20–30% of this element.

Content of calcium, potassium, phosphorus in ash:

One of the advantages of ash as a fertilizer is the absence of chlorine in the composition. Ash is primarily useful for crops that do not tolerate this substance:

Potato

Zucchini

cucumbers

Carrot

Strawberry

Strawberries

Coal ash contains many silicates (silicon compounds), which are also important for plants.

WHEN DOES ASH DO HARM?

Ash is also known for its excellent ability to reduce soil acidity. However, it is precisely this property that makes ash unsuitable for:

— fertilizing plants that love acidic soil (these include hydrangea, lingonberry, azalea, etc.);

— soil that is already oversaturated with a high alkali content;

- soil that was enriched with nitrogen-containing fertilizers (bird droppings, manure, etc.) no more than a month ago.

Improper use of fertilizer can harm the garden

Any summer resident knows: ash is an indispensable assistant in growing many plants in the garden. Its main advantage is its accessibility: you can always set fire to excess branches and quickly obtain fertilizer.

Wood ash promotes the growth of tomatoes and cucumbers, but can cause irreparable harm to some crops. There is no need to use it everywhere - since ash reduces the acidity of the soil, plants that, on the contrary, prefer acid, may not grow.

Read more in the article: Using wood ash in the country

Watermelons

If you decide to grow watermelons on your plot, then you do not need to use ash as fertilizer. Otherwise, they may begin to crack, rot and stop taking in water. Due to feeding watermelons with ash, I lost almost my entire harvest, although before that there were no problems with the growth of melons.

Sorrel

Even if the sorrel grows after feeding with ash, this does not mean that it will be good. After the fertilization procedure, it may lose its taste and stop growing. As a result, it will take a long time to restore the harvest.

Radish

Fertilizing with ash harms not only the growth of radishes, but also its taste. The fruits grow small, with a yellowish tint and, as the author notes, the taste of the fruits is not delightful.

Hydrangea, blueberries and blueberries do not like feeding with ash. But cabbage, currants and cherries will please you with a good harvest if you fertilize them with ash bait.

Store ash properly

You need to store ash in a dry place, do not let it get wet, because it may lose its properties. In a dry state, it is stored for a long time without losing its beneficial qualities.

What should I store it in?

To keep the ash at its best, you just need to make sure it stays dry. To do this, select any container. If it is a metal bucket or barrel, then it is better that it is rust-free. These can be plastic containers or plastic bags.

You can put together a special box, put several slats on top and attach a metal mesh to them. Through this kind of hole, you can immediately sift fine ash into a container for storage. Anything leftover will be stored in another container. And these larger fractions of ash can be used either in the fight against slugs or for preparing an infusion against pests. But this use of an ash box is acceptable in the summer, when you periodically visit the dacha. But for the winter it is better to cover such a box with a lid or film to prevent moisture from entering.

Where to store?

The most important condition for storing ash is a dry room. It doesn't have to be a country house. This could be a shower room, bathhouse, barn, but an important condition is that moisture from precipitation does not get into the container with ash.

Not only does precipitation compress the ash, but the ash also prematurely loses nutrients that will not reach the plant. Therefore, the main conditions for storing ash in winter are durable containers and dryness.