Wood burner bin for garden ?

[robinbanks]

Is it acidic?

Or basic. Depends what was burnt I guess.

Either way, the bottom always seems to rot out faster and I always put it down to enhanced corrosion from the ash/water. Keep it fairly well cleaned out and dry the corrosion will be slower

 

[Deluks]

Surely the ash holds the water, stopping the bottom from drying out?
You get 2 or 3 years out of a galvanised one if you empty it after use. It's as much as you can expect for £20-£30.

 

[Mike13]

The ash is alkaline, turns hydrangeas blue if sprinkled on the soil, and does a lot of damage to rasberry bushes when sprinkled around them. Also used to be used to turn the grease in pans into soap in times gone by.
It will also dissolve the zinc too.

 

[robinbanks]

Surely the ash holds the water, stopping the bottom from drying out?

Are you saying this is prolongs or reduces the life of the bin?

 

[foxhole]

Surely the ash holds the water, stopping the bottom from drying out?
You get 2 or 3 years out of a galvanised one if you empty it after use. It's as much as you can expect for £20-£30.

I emptied at every use and stored inside , still disintegrated after a year.Ordered a new bin , £16 .

 

[Mike13]

Are you saying this is prolongs or reduces the life of the bin?

Ash will dissolve the zinc, leaving the steel ungalvanised so it rusts quicker. Zinc boils at about 900C, so a hot bin will lose its zinc that way too.

 

[Brigadier]

I emptied at every use and stored inside , still disintegrated after a year.

To be fair, the metal is often as thin as bog paper: regardless of how well it is looked after, it isn't going to put up with much.

Also, there would be a great difference in bin longevity between the occasional quick burn, and weekly infernos.

 

[Diver Fred]

Oil Drum.

Chop the top off (not cut) and punch a few holes in the base.

 

[smashpotato]

I’d go with a drum too, I’ve had this one since 2018, I keep the lid on after a burn to preserve the inside of it.

View attachment 337713

What makes you think there isn’t any? There are a couple bushes down the other end.

 

[lostinthelight]

The ash is alkaline, turns hydrangeas blue if sprinkled on the soil, and does a lot of damage.

Bit if a typo there, if you have hydrangeas wood ash as you rightly say turns the soil alkaline but makes blue ones turn pink.

 

[StephenStephen]

The ash is alkaline, turns hydrangeas blue if sprinkled on the soil, and does a lot of damage to rasberry bushes when sprinkled around them. Also used to be used to turn the grease in pans into soap in times gone by.
It will also dissolve the zinc too.

My experience is that it doesn't do a lot of damage to raspberry bushes, even though they prefer a more acid soil...

...and it has its uses:

Wood Ash: Using in the Garden | RHS Advice

Find out how to use wood ash safely as a natural source of potassium and trace elements to improve garden soil.

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[JohnD]

A chiminea will also do. The shape incorporates a sort of chimney, though you can also drop long pieces down it. The chimney can give a useful updraught.

If you can lay your hands on a couple of metres of stainless flue it would take the smoke higher.