Hickory tree and Garden

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I am about to cut a hickory tree down and it will fall directly on my small vegetable garden..actually this is the best place for it to land. What I need to know is can I burn the branches and leftover brush on my gaden spot as I do not want to haul the brush away. Will the ash put to much potassium or nitrogen in my soil? Or won't it matter this time of year? I do not want to end up with all leafy vegetables and no produce.

-- Lynn (mscratch1@semo.net), January 02, 2001

Answers

Of course part of the answer depends on how much brush you're talking about burning and how big your garden is. I'd think as long as you scatter the ashes out it wouldn't hurt anything.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), January 02, 2001.

No problem that I can forsee,as long as you watch your fire.No fire hazard now,but that can change quickly.

We've burned brush, and hillsides,where the garden is.It will most likely help, if your soil is deficient in Potasium.If you used chemical fertilizers there for some time,tho, you may be already high it potasium.

Nitrogen is there to give a quick growth boost after burn, but it is pretty soluable and would not last very long.Also, you can put your high nitrogen users in the burn area-cabbage,corn,onions.Tomatoes like potassium.

Mostly, tho, we shred twigs for mulch and only burn what we don't get to.Which is very little,since we like to leave brush piles for the wildlife.Outside the garden, of course.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), January 02, 2001.


You need to be careful to not get too hot of a fire as I've seen it ruin the soil under a burn pile. Don't know if it was the heat or the excess of ashes or what. just know the weeds wouldn't even grow.

-- Darren in Idaho (darrencindy2000@yahoo.com), January 02, 2001.

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