Coal ashes & Dogwood tree

[littlebit]

Hi I was wondering what are the hazzards/ bennifits of dumping coal ashes near a dog wood tree? I'm concerned that they might harm the tree. Also, I would appreciate ideas where the coal ashes would be bennifical?

[lavender]

I think that you would be ill advised to use coal ash on the soil. While there are some nutrients in it, it is contaminated with heavy metals and other things that are bad for plants. I don't suppose it would kill the tree immediately but it might get it eventually. Coal ash has a high pH and dogwoods like an acid soil. 

Wood ash is just fine and I use it myself. 

I can't think of anything gardenwise that it would be good for. 

[Petee]

Coal ash can be used to break up clay soils and sometimes to add acid to flower gardens but I would never use it in a food garden.

 

As to dumping it near a dogwood tree?  How important is the tree to you?  If you want to keep it healthy then I wouldn't be dumping anything near it's roots.  Dogwoods can be finicky critters and demand specific soil PH.  Again, do a Penn State Soil test and they will tell you exactly what to do for the tree, and probably what you can do with the wood ashes.  Just enclose a note that you want to know where best to use them.

[lavender]

I know no one is going to read these articles but please do not use coal ash on your garden to break up clay or for any other reason. It isn

[littlebit]

My husband has been dumping our coal ashes around a dog wood tree, so that he can mow around it easier. I asked him to quit untill I found out. I suppose I'll be moving those ashes to keep the tree safe.  Maybe they'll work to get rid of the nasty Multifloral Rose that is overwhelming around here.

[lavender]

Tell him to mulch with something else. Wood chips or any wood product is good around dogwoods as they like acid soil. You could even use your grass clipping. My husband put down plastic, which I hate, and covered it with woodchips. Guess who has to deal with the weeds that come up in the mulch? He went way beyond the drip line of the tree, which I think is a bad thing but he doesn

[Petee]

You can lay newspapers, landscape fabric or something porous over the roots.  Not more than 2 inches deep.  Roots need to breathe and get water.  Plastic suffocates them.