Wood ash is about to change your life.

It’s now making a comeback as a household cure-all and, with all its uses, it won’t be long until throwing it away is deemed a crime against humanity. Farmers have used ash on crops for centuries, becoming so popular that in the 18th century England, people were growing tree farms specifically to be burned and harvested for ash.

We’re about to drop a serious load of information, so before this ignites you into a fever and you start pouring ash on yourself, be sure of the following:

Don’t use ash from wood that’s been treated with chemicals, including slow burning logs, painted, stained, or pressure-treated woods
Be aware that hot embers or coals may be buried that you can’t see. Always allow ash to cool in a metal bucket with a lid for up to a week before use.
Handle with care and use proper skin and eye protection
Before using in the garden, never combine ash with nitrogen-based fertilizers, or it will produce ammonia gas (think Raiders of the Lost Ark face melting scene)
Don’t throw it in people’s eyes
Understand that no matter how much you gather into a pile, a phoenix will NOT rise