The choice of fertilizers for flowers is great. But I do not refuse folk options, time-tested. Ash is unique in this respect. It feeds and heals, does not contain harmful impurities, is safe for humans and pets. You can easily get it yourself. And it is stored indefinitely.
Benefits for flowers
Ash is a universal concentrate of trace elements responsible for the normal development of plants. It has:
- potassium, without which there will be no normal flowering, and the plant itself will become frail, painful;
- phosphorus, is also needed for buds and flowers, besides, without it, new roots are sluggishly formed, and the fruits are poorly tied;
- magnesium, supports photosynthesis and bright green color of foliage;
- calcium, stands guard over the immunity of the plant, and at the same time softens the acidity of the earth;
- and 26 more elements needed and gratefully absorbed by flowers. It does not contain only nitrogen - unfortunately. It has to be entered separately.
The ash loosens and disinfects the soil, repels harmful insects, and helps in the treatment. It can be used both dry and dissolved in water - for spraying.
Types of ash
Ash is a product of combustion. You always need to know what exactly got into the fire or stove. Depending on the source, the final product also differs in chemical composition:
- sunflower, cereal straw, potato tops give ash up to 45% of phosphorus and potassium in the total composition of trace elements;
- birch and pine coals are rich in calcium - 31-36%.
The “poorest” are coal and peat ash. It's better not to use them.
Important. Red ash speaks of a high iron content. It is contraindicated for flowers. Well, and, of course, it's better not to take anything from the fire, which got plastic, rubber, newspapers, household garbage.
Application methods
Dry:
when planting flowers, add 2 tbsp. l. ash per 1 kg of soil;
when top dressing, sprinkle on the soil and lightly dig in.
Infusion form:
in 1 liter of water insist 3 tbsp. l. ash week, shaking daily.
An indoor flower in a 1 liter pot is enough for 100 ml of the resulting infusion. For garden flowers, 300-400 ml are consumed per 1 m2 of soil.
In the form of an ash decoction:
2 tbsp. water is boiled with 4 tbsp. ash for 30 minutes, then add 2 liters of water.
Used for foliar feeding, therapeutic spraying.
The best time for ash top dressing is spring.
Important. Although the ash is harmless, it can be inhaled or cause skin irritation. Don't forget to be careful and wear gloves.
Pest protection
Indoors, where there is no wind, the ashes are successfully used to repel snails and slugs by pouring protective rings around plants.
From small fleas and aphids, the leaves are powdered with ash or wiped or sprayed with an ash-soap composition. For 2 st. water is taken 4 tbsp. l. ash and a third of a piece of laundry soap diluted in 2 liters of water.
When is it best not to use ash?
Sometimes it is better to refrain from this miracle remedy:
- if it is not known what exactly burned down in a particular fire in addition to grass, wood and other environmentally friendly components;
- if flowers prefer acidic soils (camellia, azalea, hydrangea, cyperus);
- when overdoing flowers with chlorosis;
- with a high content of potassium in the soil;
- after feeding with urea, ammonium nitrate, manure; after them, you need to wait 3-4 weeks and only then add ash, otherwise its potassium-phosphorus elements are neutralized by nitrogen.
In other cases, ash is a real health elixir for your flowers. However, you don’t need to get carried away with it: an overdose, albeit in terms of useful substances, is harmful.
Do you have any tricks in using ash? Share your successes!
Read also: Planting and growing radishes in open ground. Tips and all the subtleties of care
Another related article: Anyuta tomato: characteristics and description of the variety, yield
Friends, do not forget to subscribe to the channel and leave a LIKE if the article is useful!
#flowers#flower dressing#ash