How do people clean out their ashes

[jnoble]

There must be many different ways.

Vacuum, brush etc.

Looking forward to the ideas.

John N

[bryan]

What ashes?

[Syzygies]

One cardinal rule is to make sure the ashes are really out, so you don't burn down your garage.

Then, don't overspec the problem. Over the course of a year, if it's twice the effort to get the last third of the ashes out, it's simply not worth it.

I use a dedicated paint brush to sweep ashes down and out the ash door. A 16" terra cotta plant saucer (unglazed unless you're sure of the glaze) lined with foil make a very convenient heat deflector and drip catcher, with easy cleanup. The same saucer catches ashes nicely. Some escape, which doesn't bother me.

[DennisLinkletter]

One cardinal rule is to make sure the ashes are really out' date=' so you don't burn down your garage..[/quote']

I use a large trash bag in a box.. The front draft door assembly is flush to the cooker floor.. makes things much easier.

[Firemonkey]

I use one of two methods, depending on the weather. The ash only gets full enough to empty a few times a year, anyway.

When its very humid, and not windy outside i will just slide the lid from the trashcan where I store my lump under the front draft door and push the ashes out with my hands. Dump the ashes in the gardens and its done. If it is really dry, or windy, the ash will be very light, so when I push it out the front it makes a big cloud and gets all over me and everything nearby. In these cases, i use a shopvac with a drywall filter on it to suck it all up.

I think the next time I am going to try misting the ash with a spray bottle to make it heavier, rather than using the shop vac.

[mguerra]

vac

I use the Shop Vac with drywall filter. I only remove the ashes when cold and the fire fully out. Usually just prior to a cook. It's fast, clean, no blowing clouds of ash, and thorough.

[smokykensbbq]

I have an ash cleaner tool and use one of the shirt boxes that my wife keeps after Christmas from the prior year. She has so many boxes now she never misses a few each year.

[tnt]

I have an ash tool that I use to scrap out the ash into a foil pan The kind you get from Weber to use a a drip pan. If you turn it sideways it works well unless you have a breeze !!! Then not so much.

[Tucker]

i use a large garden trash bag, unfolded but not opened, lay it under the front of the KK under the ash door like you would a drop cloth.

i extend it back beyond the front lip of the KK so it catches all the ash i push out with a 4" paint brush. Pick it up by the 4 corners and dump it behind the flower garden. i fold the "tarp" up and put it in my cart.

[Syzygies]

dump it behind the flower garden.

Are there any actual gardening advantages to keeping the ashes in the yard?

Our tomatoes have a bit of end rot this year, on a very precise watering system, and our analysis is that our soil needs to be a bit more acidic. Ash is basic, right?

[mguerra]

basic, alkaline ash

Ash is indeed basic, and fairly fast acting in the soil. According to a garden site I visit, you should apply a max of 2 lbs. per 100 square feet every other year. That is assuming you KNOW your starting soil pH and know that you need to increase it!

[bryan]

dump it behind the flower garden.

Are there any actual gardening advantages to keeping the ashes in the yard?

Our tomatoes have a bit of end rot this year, on a very precise watering system, and our analysis is that our soil needs to be a bit more acidic. Ash is basic, right?

From my garden notes: Hope it helps you.

1) Ashes from charcoal burning barbeques are toxic from the bonding agents in commercially made charcoal

2) Tomato plants that were planted out in the garden before the soil warmed up are susceptible to blossom end rot because their root systems don't develop well in cold soil. Without a good root system the plants cannot take up enough moisture and calcium for the developing fruit, resulting in blossom end rot.

Mulching your tomato-growing bed after the soil has warmed up will help to prevent blossom end rot by helping to maintain even moisture in the soil for the plants.

For tomatoes afflicted with blossom end rot, just remove those fruits from the plant, maintain even moisture for your plants and wait for the next set of tomatoes to ripen. Chances are that the next tomato to ripen will not have blossom end rot problems.

[LarryR]

You don't have a KK Boy

I have a "KK Boy" a 9 year old boy (my son) armed with an extra wide and long spatula and a large foil pan. He does a nice job and will work for a 7-11 Slurpee.

[Syzygies]

Tomato plants that were planted out in the garden before the soil warmed up are susceptible to blossom end rot because their root systems don't develop well in cold soil.

That's fascinating.

Our pH is dead neutral, 7.0, while it should be 6.5 to 6.7. It's clear that the end rot is restricted calcium uptake, which we had assumed was a pH effect, but we did also have a cold spring. (It still feels like a cold spring!) Next year we'll go at soil prep earlier, get the pH dialed in before we plant.

I've wondered about heating strips in the soil, Laurie considers that cheating!

(Not to worry about commercial charcoal, not allowed on the premises.)

[Conodo12]

How do people clean out their ashes? -

Even in this sour economy, I cannot afford to let my neighbors see me cleaning out my ash box let alone stain my Fifa running suit! So, how do people clean out their ashes? - I suppose they hire someone to do it like I do!

Shop Vac = perfectly clean KK! Every time!

[DennisLinkletter]

I just want a shot of your cookin' in your Fifa running suit

Even in this sour economy, I cannot afford to let my neighbors see me cleaning out my ash box let alone stain my Fifa running suit! )

I just want a shot of your cookin' in your Fifa running suit!

[Conodo12]

Re: I just want a shot of your cookin' in your Fifa running

I just want a shot of your cookin' in your Fifa running suit!

Heh heh! That is both funny and a tad bit disturbing at the same time!

You caught me though Dennis - I am not even a good poser! Turns out its not called FIFA - it's supposed to be FILA!

Guess I better stick to my plain ol' cargo shorts and Levi's. I never did do fancy well!

Now, where is that ShopVac.... seems I have some ashes to clean out today!

[DennisLinkletter]

Re: I just want a shot of your cookin' in your Fifa running

You caught me though Dennis - I am not even a good poser! Turns out its not called FIFA - it's supposed to be FILA!

Ahh I'm actually proud of that ignorance!

I thought they were soccer sweats..

[bryan]

I like the Vac idea... but with a COPD problem I am concerned with getting my ash around my head. Any advise on how to keep your head out of your ash is welcome.

[Amphoran]

Keep the beer glass straight up and down....