Coal ash. slug deterant or plant death?

[KellsSimon]

Still having a coal fire (fuel of the future!?), i also have coal ash... my AP visited receintly and used a shovelful of the ash around a Hosta that was under slug attack. The atack stopped, and the Hosta looks to be doing well. Has anyone used coal ash on their veg patch? and are their any issues i should be aware of? would love any advice as where i live is surrounded by a lot of rough ground which is a populous haven for all slugs and snails. i'm just hoping they don't discover my new veg patch... yours behind the barracade,

[KellsSimon]

Well, as no one has any ideas for me, i've just gone for it and spread a ring barrier of ash around each of my courgette and bean plants in one bed, and left another bed of beans ash free. i'll carry on with my other normal anti slug practice with beer/milk traps, slug havens and torch lit patrols...
i'll post if there are any outcomes.

[HeyWayne]

Sorry, never read this post so couldn't answer...

I've recently obtained a source of coffee grinds as this is supposed to deter slugs. I'll let you know how I get on.

My main concern with ash would be that it will wash away fairly rapidly.

[KellsSimon]

I think there is a high chance heavy rain would wash it away, but todays light showers have just damped it down. every time we light the fire we make more so re-covering wont be a problem, though we are heading into the 'no-heating season'.
I must remember to keep my own coffee grounds, as if they do work i could use them on 'special' plants. Don't think i could drink enough of the good stuff to cover all the plot, not without vibrating all day and night!

[keener]

We are using slug pubs this year, but last year we put wood ash around some of our plants and yup, it did wash away quickly. But our plants did very well because it contains potash - a nutrient plants love. Coal ash is fine too, but also contains sulphur which will make the soil more acidic.

Our allotment philosophy is give it a whirl, see what happens.

As for our slug offensive - Asda sells 4 cans of lager for under 1 quid! So this year if the slugs munch our plot rather than being enticed into the death valley of beer, we can console ourselves by drinking some of the Asda smartprice. But hopefully things wont get that desperate lol!

[gemlady]

Don't know if anyone else saw the guy on the Chelsea Flower Show who grows Hostas. He said that hair is death for snails! How he knew I don't know but it would be very difficult to put into practice wouldn't it.

[Norm]

As a hobby, I drive steam trains...real ones! At the end of the days steaming, I'm covered in coal ash, coal dust and steam oil. Even when it's all washed off, my skin feels like it has been burned. This doesn't happen with just coal dust and oil when the loco isn't running. I can only assume that the coal ash is what causes the burning sensation, so I'd be careful about having it anywhere near plants.

[KellsSimon]

mmm... maybe i'll start trying to germinate some new courgettes just in case. better late than none!

[peanut]

I'm sure I read on here sometime ago that you shouldn't use coal ash on the garden....something to do with it being poisonous?
I've tired searching for the old thread but can't find it!!!

If you can use it and it is beneficial I'd be really happy as I too have a coal fire.

[Fairy Claire]

I put ash from my fire (mix of wood and coal) on my potatoes and it doesn't seem to have done them any harm.

Of course I may not ave noticed because they are still being decimated by slugs... Is it wrong that i've started to enoy squishing them and dousing them in salt?! (ahahaha!!)

I'm gonna try coffee grounds next, so fingers crossed...!

[snuffer]

I don't know about using coal ash as a slug barrier but I have always been told it should not be added to the compost heap (something to do with its chemical make up). Wood ash is fine. We have open fires here, coal ash is put in the wheelie bin, wood ash in the compost bin and around the fruit trees.