Compost

[clasher]

Recently putting a log fire in has resulted in a lot of wood shavings from using a chain saw, and sawdust from the mitre saw. Will either of these, or both, benefit my garden, by either composting or digging straight in. Thanks in anticipation, Clasher

[JonnyBoy12]

You could put the sawdust in the fire as we do, and use that as fuel. They is no problem with that, and you would not have to compost it. Do NOT put stuff for composting on the ground directly, you have to compost it first for some reason.

[carlton23]

The reason Jonny is so that the micro organisms and bacteria will break it down as it rots and then becomes food for the roots of plants and eventually makes for good garden soil.

[rowanwitch]

putting it straight on the soil uses up valuable nitrogen....compost it either in thin layers on your heap or separately with an accelerator

[clasher]

Thanks everyone, much appreciated, or should that be mulch appreciated

[johnk]

Sawdust and shavings take feveto rot down, best to burn it and put the wood ash on the compost or you can use it directly on some soffruits, raspberries and goseberries, also rhubarb

[theorganicgardener]

Hello Clasher,

I hope you find the following useful, if you are think of what to do with the wood ash from a log fire.

Wood ash is sometimes recommended as a source of potash (in the development of flowers and fruit). It contains potassium in the form of potassium carbonate and traces of other elements. The percentage of potash may vary from 4-15% depending on the source material. Ashes from young sappy material may contain up to 15% potash, where as heartwood, wood from thicker limbs and from sawdust may contain as little as 4%.

Wood ash is alkaline and tends to raise the pH level of soils. Do not use it among roses, fruit and vegetable crops, rhododendrons and other plants needing acid soil conditions.

Use wood ash as a general dressing to soils known to be deficient in potassium. All wood ash will provide some liming effect, but only the fresh material will also supply potassium.

Alternatively it can be added to the compost heap, in place of lime. A suitable rate of application would be 800g/sq.m of compost heap area, repeated in layers 15-20cm apart.

Happy gardening
The Organic Gardener

[Mosaic]

If the wood was a bit green, just leaving the sawdust and shavings i a pile will result in their heating up and catching fire all on their own.....so mind where you store this stuff.
Once burnt or composted it is excellent in soil. Just mind you aren't using anything like MDF that's full of horrible chemicals.

[clasher]

Thats really great everyone, thanks for your efforts