Why gardeners are sprinkling grill ash on their plants (it's not as surprising as it sounds)

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Now that warmer weather is finally here, many households have already put their best grill to good use, or are getting ready to host those backyard cookouts (World Cup watch parties, anyone?). And if you prefer cooking with wood charcoal, don’t throw out your leftover ash after your feasts.Surprisingly, wood charcoal ash is valuable to certain plants and will help to give them a healthy boost. And gardeners are sprinkling their ash leftovers as a great soil enhancer — effectively neutralizing soil pH while providing a powerhouse of essential nutrients, including potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium — that will help your garden thrive.From herbs and juicy tomatoes to beautiful blooms such as roses, who knew that our smoky remnants would be liquid gold for our plants? Before you sprinkle ash into your soil, however, it’s recommended to do a test to check pH. This simple step identifies the current alkalinity levels and ensures you apply just the right amount to your plants.In addition, avoid using wood ash around acid-loving varieties and never use it on delicate seedlings, in case it causes more harm than good! For best results, stick to plants that flourish in more alkaline environments.So before you ditch your grill waste, put it to good use in the garden instead. Here are just a few of our favorite plants that will love your leftover charcoal ash.Succulent strawberries