Ash for peppers: how to feed them correctly

Peppers require rich soil for full development. Ash fertilizer helps replenish phosphorus and potassium, which are essential for a high-quality harvest. This organic fertilizer has varying concentrations of macronutrients depending on the variety. This affects the rules and timing of natural fertilizer application. If phosphorus or potassium levels are deficient, pepper plants should also be fed foliarly with wood ash.

The benefits and harms of ash when growing vegetables

The macronutrients found in natural fertilizer are essential for plants during all stages of the growing season. The composition of ash determines its benefits:

1. Calcium compounds improve metabolism by participating in photosynthesis and increasing cold resistance and immunity.
2. Potassium orthophosphate normalizes water balance – in the absence of this element, ammonia concentrates inside the cells, inhibiting the development of peppers and fruiting.
3. Magnesium, present in carbonate, silicate and sulfate compounds, is responsible for the normal course of the budding and flowering phases.
4. Sodium chloride, along with orthophosphate, are responsible for the full growth of vegetable crops in general – peppers love sodium and are unable to realize their potential as a crop without its deficiency.
5. Phosphorus ensures the transport of chemical elements to the parts of the plant that need them – a compound without which the normal course of photosynthesis is impossible.

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However, the use of ash does not always have a positive effect. Negative factors:

• When using ash obtained from burning plastic, construction waste, and varnished wooden products, harmful substances accumulate in the fruits;
• the simultaneous application of manure and wood ash reduces the concentration of nitrogen in the soil;
• The organic product neutralizes the acidity of the soil, which makes alkaline soils, which are already unsuitable for growing peppers, completely unsuitable.

Types of fertilizers

Ash is the result of burning organic materials. Its composition depends on the source material. If the material was tree branches, the nutrient will contain a higher concentration of potassium, while if plant shoots were used, it will contain calcium. Ash also contains the following elements:

• phosphorus;
• iron;
• copper;
• manganese;
• zinc;
• molybdenum;
• copper.

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There is a generally accepted classification of types of ash fertilizer. It is based on the raw materials used for production:

1. Wood. The type of wood used and its age influence the concentration of chemical elements in the wood: if birch is burned, potassium will predominate, while if needles are burned, phosphorus will predominate.
2. From plant residues. Ash is the result of "processing" straw, potato tops, tomatoes, peppers, and dried leaves.
3. Coal. This type of fertilizer contains a lot of silicon and sulfur. In the garden, it is used only for soil cultivation, adding it to improve the loose structure.
4. Peat. The predominant element is calcium, which has a neutralizing effect. Apply with extreme caution only in cases of severe acidification.

General rules for fertilizing with ash fertilizer

Despite the benefits of this organic compound, uncontrolled application, excessive dosages, and failure to adhere to the correct timing can harm pepper plants. Ash should not be applied to dry soil, but applying it to very moist soil also reduces its effectiveness. Fertilize plants two days after thoroughly watering with warm water, as cold water can promote fungal disease.

How to prepare fertilizer

An ash solution for pepper fertilizer is prepared according to the following guidelines. The main steps are:

1. A glass of ash is sifted into a bowl.
2. Pour 1 liter of boiling water into the container.
3. The infusion is filtered through several layers of gauze.
4. Before use, the concentrate is diluted in 10 liters of water.
5. As an adhesive, add a little grated baby soap – 50 g.

Dosage

The soil structure influences the ash application rate. For loose, well-aerated soil, 150-250 g of the product is sufficient; for clay soil, apply 3-5 times more, depending on the soil's density. To avoid excessive ash concentration in the soil, consider the dosage:

• 1 tbsp contains 6 g of the product;
• in a standard size glass – 100 g;
• in a half-liter jar - 250 g.

Timing and schedule of fertilizing

During seedling development, seedlings are fed with ash twice. In both cases, it is applied as an organic-based fertilizer. Ash is added to the growing medium for the seedlings, sprinkled into the holes during planting, and incorporated into the soil during digging during fall and spring soil preparation. Mature plants are also fed with organic compounds, monitoring the condition of the soil and bushes to determine which element the peppers are deficient in.

Soil mixture

Ash is added to the soil when sowing seeds. The substrate is prepared from nutrient-rich soil by adding a cup of ash per bucket of soil. If the soil has low permeability, the fertilizer application rate is increased by 2-3 times. Ash is added to the seedling substrate; ash is not added during the first feeding, when the seedlings have formed 3-4 true leaves.

Fertilizing seedlings

To obtain a good harvest, it is necessary to grow strong seedlings. If ash was not added to the substrate, then after the third leaf has formed, the seedlings are fertilized with a solution based on an organic compound at a rate of 30 ml per plant. For convenience, the working solution is prepared in a small bucket by diluting 100 g of ash in 5 liters of warm, settled water. After 14-20 days, repeat the feeding, maintaining the concentration but doubling the volume of liquid per plant. The final fertilizing watering is performed even if ash was added to the substrate.

Into the holes

When preparing planting holes, add a handful of wood ash to each hole. Mix the ash thoroughly with the soil to avoid burning the seedlings' roots. This not only nourishes the plants, allowing them to root and grow faster, but also disinfects the soil, inhibiting pathogens, and boosts the pepper's immunity.

After the transplant

Ten days after planting peppers in a greenhouse or open ground, the plants begin to root. This is the right time to fertilize with nitrogen-containing fertilizers—mineral or organic. Additionally, add an ash-based infusion to the working solution at a rate of 1 liter per plant. Adding a complex of macronutrients improves photosynthesis, allowing the plant to simultaneously develop both root and vegetative mass.

At the stage of intensive vegetation

Avoid over-fertilizing with ash, as excess potassium can impair nitrogen and other chemical absorption. However, during the flowering phase, peppers will appreciate the addition of ash fertilizer. Its composition stimulates abundant bud formation and the development of ovaries, which will have everything they need for full ripening.

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How to feed peppers with ash in different conditions

In addition to the general rules for applying organic fertilizer, there are a number of specific considerations related to the method of growing peppers. When grown outdoors, where plants suffer from airborne drought, foliar feeding is often used. In greenhouses, plants grow in a limited space and are deprived of many nutrients; applying a single-component ash solution is not sufficient.

In open ground

Preparing a working solution for treating unprotected beds is easy. The basic steps for preparing a fertilizing irrigation:

1. Sift 300 g of ash into a metal container and pour in 1 liter of boiling water.
2. Over low heat, bring the liquid to a boil.
3. The solution is filtered and diluted in 10 liters of water.
4. An additional 50 ml of liquid soap is added as an adhesive.

In the greenhouse

Peppers in protected soil are fertilized using the root feeding method. The dry mixture is sprinkled around the perimeter of the tree trunks, then the soil is loosened and watered with warm water from a watering can with a sprayer. The following components are added to the nutrient mixture per 1 m² of area:

• 150 g of wood ash;
• 15 g potassium sulfate;
• 30 g superphosphate;
• 3 kg of rotted compost.

Pest and disease control using ash

Ash obtained by burning branches or plant debris is an effective means of protecting pepper plants from harmful insects and various infections, as demonstrated by numerous videos. The product is used as follows:

• spray with ash or soap-ash solution;
• dust with ash sifted through a sieve.

The working solution can be used as a protective agent both in greenhouses and open beds. Spray the plants in the evening during dry weather. If the peppers are growing unprotected, be sure to check the weather forecast to avoid precipitation that could wash the therapeutic and prophylactic agent off the leaves. At this time, water the plants only at the roots.

Common mistakes

Applying ash doesn't always produce the desired results. This is due to the incorrect combination of fertilizers in a single fertilizer. Fertilizing plants with urea or manure mixed with ash will result in almost all the nitrogen being lost. Vegetative growth will not accelerate. If nitrogen deficiency persists, it will continue.

The combination of wood ash and lime can even have a detrimental effect on peppers, as they are sensitive to alkaline soils. In such soils, the plants become stunted and die. Ash, like lime, neutralizes soil acidity. Combined, these substances also enhance the alkalizing effect. The addition of acidifying agents (superphosphate, high-moor peat) can help rectify the situation.

Thanks to the rich chemical composition of ash, its systematic use will result in abundant, high-quality fruit. However, this is only possible if the dosage and application guidelines are followed at various stages of pepper development.