BDN cites UMaine Extension bulletin in article on uses for woodstove ashes
The Bangor Daily News cited a University of Maine Cooperative Extension bulletin in the article “6 creative ways to use woodstove ashes.” The byproduct of burned wood, ashes should be cleaned out of woodstoves and fireplaces regularly. Softwoods like fir and birch tend to generate more ash than hardwoods like beech and maple, according to the BDN. Ashes have several uses around the homestead, including adding them to compost. According to UMaine Extension, wood ash has a high calcium content and makes an excellent liming agent to raise pH levels of compost and neutralize acidity. Ashes also contain potassium and other trace elements to boost the nutrient value of compost, the article states. Fiddlehead Focus carried the BDN article.