ADDING MINERALS TO HOUSEPLANTS

Dave, or any one of his great members:

Please comment on adding fireplace ashes to potted plants for phosphorous.

Is it wise to use "fresh" or "aged" ashes?

What ratio should I add to soil mix?

Thanking you in advance for any and all comments............

Baffled in Broaddus

Sudie
The value of fireplace ash depends on what types of wood you burn and this varies alot.
Wood ash contains approximately 10 to 25 percent calcium, 1 to 4 percent magnesium,
3 to 15 percent potassium, and 1 to 3 percent phosphorus. If it was chemical fertilizer it
would be something like 0-2-10.

What are your plants potted in? Garden soil, compost mix, potting soil?
Are they inside or outside?
Why do you believe they need "extra" phophorus?

Personal opinion---
I'm sure some do use fireplace ashes on potted plants but I wouldn't bother as most,
if not all, commercial potting mixes now have fertilizer added anyway.
Ashes are fine for the garden as long as your soil is not really alkaline or in the compost pile.

A complete houseplant fertilizer such as 10-15-10 will work fine for your potted plants.
I can find these at any discount store (WM, Lowes, HD) for a bottle of liquid at about $4.00.

Caron, Woodland Park, CO, Zone 4b
May I say a hearty THANKS for great information regarding adding fireplace ashes to potted plants, ashes are from pecan.
Potted plants are in compost mix, from local acid derivative.
Potted plants are mostly foliage which I keep in home or greenhouse, feed with Schultz's Multi Cote, 18-6-12. It lasts up to 9 months. Potted bloomers get Schultz's 10-60-10 with Chelated Iron, Manganese & Zinc.
Garden bloomers are acid-loving.
Gardens are on a downward slope. I lose mineals, etc. as top soil washes toward Lake Sam Rayburn.
This year, my focus is raised bed gardening; as such, I'm learning more about quality soil mixes to go with my native, acidic soil. Pecan ashes may be too alkaline; therefore I will not add to acid-loving plants.
Happy Gardening

Sudie
With all that fertilizer I really wouldn't bother with wood ash in the home and greenhouse plants.

I might consider having soil pH done first before adding ashes from fireplace or work in a very scant couple of pounds per 100 sq feet to proivde nutrients but not raise the pH too much.

Raised bed are the way to go imho, and you might want to check out lasagna method-composting in place so to speak to fill those raised beds instead of investing in commercially bought soils/soil mixes. Definately not instant gratification/instant planting but better product produced this way.

Caron, what an excellent suggestion.
Once more, thanks