In northern rural areas, in winter, we burn earthen kang by placing various materials that can be ignited into the kang holes and igniting them. The heat makes the earthen kang warm and comfortable to sleep on. Adults who have worked hard all day say that in the morning, their muscles and bones feel much looser and full of vitality.
I remember when I was a child, the firewood used to burn the kang included corn cobs, corn stalks, various wild grasses, and cow and sheep manure at home. After drying, it was used to burn the kang.
When it is difficult to put firewood into the kang cave, it indicates that there is too much ash burning inside and needs to be pulled out. Therefore, adults will wrap it tightly, take out the ashes, send them to the field, pile them up, cover them with soil, and when planting crops, scatter them in the field.
In fact, the ash used to burn the kang is also known as plant ash. In the era of fertilizer scarcity, our ancestors tried every means to increase grain production. In addition to cow and sheep manure, they scattered plant ash on the ground as both fertilizer and pest control, which was truly great wisdom.
Since using plant ash when growing crops can be used as fertilizer and also to prevent pests, can plant ash be used for flower and vegetable cultivation? Of course, the advantages of plant ash are more useful for some flowers and plants than purchased fertilizers. Let’s take a look at the advantages of plant ash and how to make it better.
