A fire pit often creates a wonderful atmosphere for great conversation and relaxation. There is something special about getting outside and sitting around the flames. While a fire pit can produce many hours of enjoyment, the ashes left behind can often be a nuisance. They are messy and often abundant if you are a regular around the fire pit. People often wonder what to do with ashes from a fire pit once they start piling up.
Disposing of Ashes
- Make sure the ashes are completely cool before attempting to dispose of the ashes. Wait a day since the last fire before removing the ashes to err on the side of caution.
- Working as if the ashes are potentially hot, use an ash shovel to scoop up the debris. Consider wearing gloves as this step is often messy.
- Place the ashes in a metal bucket such as the one pictured below. This eliminates the risks of fire in the event there is still hot ash lingering around.
- Wet the ashes in the bucket with your garden hose.
- Wait 4 days before discarding your ashes in the trash.
Fire Pit Ashes as Fertilizer
Instead of tossing your ashes to the curbside, you may consider them for use as a fertilizer. Wood ash is great for providing nutrients to your lawn and garden. It acts like a fertilizer by adding potassium, phosphates, and other beneficial minerals to the soil. However, Iowa State University cautions that wood ash can potentially harm your lawn or garden because it increase the pH (alkalinity) of the soil. If your soil already has a high pH, increasing the pH even more may do harm to your lawn or plants. Complete a soil test before you add ash to your lawn or garden. Do not add it if the current pH is over 7.0 as advised by Oregon State University. They also advise to apply a maximum of 15 pounds per 1,000 square feet of lawn.
