It is thought that wood ash will change the soil pH faster than lime, so care must be taken to not raise the pH too high. Start with a soil test so that you know what pH you have.

Lawns needing lime and potassium benefit from wood ash — 10 to 15 pounds per 1,000 square feet, Perry said. ‘‘This is the amount you may get from one cord of firewood,’’ he said.

Adding wood ash is a proven way to improve soil Joe Gregoire Orange County Master Gardener Q: I’ve heard that adding carbon to the soil by mixing in charcoal is good for plants.

Wood ash can be used sparingly in gardens, spread thinly over lawns and stirred thoroughly into compost piles. Lawns needing lime and potassium benefit from wood ash — 10 to 15 pounds per 1,000 ...

But if soils are too acid for the plants that are to be grown there, pH can be raised by adding lime or wood ash. Wood ash is less effective than lime at making the soil sweeter, and too much can ...

In other areas of southeast Louisiana, it is more common for soil to be low in calcium and too acid. In that situation, lime is used to add calcium because it also makes the soil less acid.

Lawns needing lime and potassium benefit from wood ash — 10 to 15 pounds per 1,000 square feet, Perry said. “This is the amount you may get from one cord of firewood,” he said.

For gardeners who heat their homes in winter using stoves or fireplaces, good-quality wood ashes can be a soil-amendment bonus. But if applied improperly, they can be a caustic topping for foliage ...

According to new Yale research, adding lime to agricultural soils may help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.