Wood as is smelly, dirty and most of us do not spend a whole lot of time pondering its wonders.

It is, however, an incredibly useful bi-product from cooking or heating fires; here are just two uses that pertaining to growing plants and ensuring your soil is nutrient rich.

1. Insect Repellent

If you have an alkaline soil, you may be able to use wood ash liberally enough to even control your pests with it. Wood ash draws water from the bodies of invertebrates such as ants, snails, slugs, and other insects. For this purpose, apply dry wood ash to problem areas or around plants that you wish to protect.

 

2. Compost

A sprinkling of wood ash adds nutrients to compost and also helps to balance and stabilize the conditions of the compost for optimal microorganism growth. A little goes a long way, so be sure to use a light sprinkle of wood ash every once and awhile instead of a large dose of this powerful compound.

3. Odor Remover

Wood ash can also be a powerful odor remover. Use it in hard-to-bust areas like in the kitty litter box or place a mound of the stuff on a plate in the fridge to rid yourself of unpleasant odors.

4. Melt Ice

You can even start utilizing your wood ash in the winter with this great hack. Melt away ice, free your car from a slick spot, and clear your walkways with the use of wood ash. The salt and acidic properties of wood ash make it the perfect solution to melt the ice on your sidewalk, porch, or even the street. Keep a little in your car to use when your tires slip to add some traction and avoid dumping more salt on the roads.

While most gardeners know the potential of wood ash, many who do not grow or who do not regularly encounter wood ash likely do not know of its many benefits.

This article just covered two, but there are many more. To see even more uses for wood ash, please visit Home and Gardening Ideas.