Dealing with clean up of ash for outdoor enclosure.

[Beman]

To all the keepers with outdoor enclosure experience. I am getting tons of ash from the wild fires near us... For clean up of my outdoor enclosure would you suggest just spraying the enclosure and plants down really well prior to using it again? Or would I need to do a more in depth cleaning? If so what do you recommend?

 

[MissSkittles]

To all the keepers with outdoor enclosure experience. I am getting tons of ash from the wild fires near us... For clean up of my outdoor enclosure would you suggest just spraying the enclosure and plants down really well prior to using it again? Or would I need to do a more in depth cleaning? If so what do you recommend?

You might have to be the guinea pi...ahem...pioneer in this one. I would think that a thorough hosing down would clean it, as the rains do in nature. You may need to use a brush to scrub a little.

 

[Beman]

You might have to be the guinea pi...ahem...pioneer in this one. I would think that a thorough hosing down would clean it, as the rains do in nature. You may need to use a brush to scrub a little.

I don't wanna be the guinea pig though *stomps feet like child* I want a clear answer

 

[snitz427]

A little ash wont hurt the plants (some actually mix it in their soil as a soil amendment), but I’d hose it off the leaves so they can photosynthesize better. Also because you cant be sure its 100% organic materials in the ash.

 

[Beman]

A little ash wont hurt the plants (some actually mix it in their soil as a soil amendment), but I’d hose it off the leaves so they can photosynthesize better. Also because you cant be sure its 100% organic materials in the ash.

Thank you Natalie! That was what I was thinking. So I figure I will just spray the heck out of the entire thing when it finally stops falling. Today is worse then yesterday and we are completely socked in with smoke so it will be awhile until I can even get Beman back outside.

 

[Beman]

This is my car window after 24 hours... Cleaned it yesterday because it was the same with ash. Such beautiful sky huh

 

[Hydra_cosplay]

This is my car window after 24 hours... Cleaned it yesterday because it was the same with ash. Such beautiful sky huh

View attachment 276916

Makes me wanna live there ?lmao

 

[Sharon12]

This is my car window after 24 hours... Cleaned it yesterday because it was the same with ash. Such beautiful sky huh

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I am with you. Yesterday was literally night all day with an orange sky. Today its yellow. Enough already

 

[Beman]

I am with you. Yesterday was literally night all day with an orange sky. Today its yellow. Enough already

Yeah where are you at again? We got the red orange sky yesterday but we had a lot of fog as well. Today the fog lifted but there was so much smoke we still had no sun.

 

[Sharon12]

Yeah where are you at again? We got the red orange sky yesterday but we had a lot of fog as well. Today the fog lifted but there was so much smoke we still had no sun.

SF Bay Area. Everything is all pale yellow. Cant go outside. No sun but at least not dark all day

 

[Beman]

SF Bay Area. Everything is all pale yellow. Cant go outside. No sun but at least not dark all day

Yeah I heard that it was nasty down there as well. Sucks but at least its better today then yesterday.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

This is my car window after 24 hours... Cleaned it yesterday because it was the same with ash. Such beautiful sky huh

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To think I came dang close to moving there !!. YIKES you ladies can move to cape cod I promise I won’t influence a house of tree dragons !. Tell mom I promised hehe .

 

[SourGrape4u]

That can not be good for anyone or anything to breathe in... Wild animals and a holes that keep their dogs outside.... Ehhhh no good.

 

[JacksJill]

If you want to be thorough use a dilute vinegar solution to cancel out the alkalinity of the ash and then rinse well. You can probably just rinse well and be fine.

 

[Beman]

If you want to be thorough use a dilute vinegar solution to cancel out the alkalinity of the ash and then rinse well. You can probably just rinse well and be fine.

Ohhhh Tell me more. Like in a spray bottle? What ratio? Honestly my main concern is that the Hibiscus are in the cage and they have still been blooming. Beman actively eats them. I just don't want him to be harmed in doing so. I have a pretty strong spray nozzle on the hose. So I can get quite a bit of pressure out of it.

 

[Beman]

To think I came dang close to moving there !!. YIKES you ladies can move to cape cod I promise I won’t influence a house of tree dragons !. Tell mom I promised hehe .

LOL I don't think mom or Alora would believe you after the addition of Bentley

 

[snitz427]

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/alkaline-soil-plants.htm


How much ash are you talking about? Im imagining a light dusting, but based on your windshield picture it may be a lot more!

A soil test kit will tell you the ph of soil, and if its too acidic or alkaline. Some people use diff amendments to get it where their plants prefer it, which might be vinegar or baking soda, depending which direction you need to go... or you can use other stuff like peat which is acidic. The goal is to be in the neutral range (unless you have plants that prefer more acidic or alkaline soil).

I think I got a soil test kit for my garden for only a few bucks from amazon. If its a lot of ash, for a long time, it might be worth it. Or you can try just shoveling off the top inch or so of soil. If its a lot of ash, for a long time, it may soak into soil already.

 

[nightanole]

The most biodegradable things on earth are ash, coffee grounds, and poop. You will be fine. Its perfectly edible. As others stated it is also used to change the soil ph so if you get ALOT you may have trouble. But we are talking alot alot, like if you had a 12" pot and smashed down enough ash to make a 1" solid cube of the stuff.

Ash has ph of 9-11, so you counter that with coffee/orange/lemon juice/vinegar/pepsi(in order of strength, coffee weakest) deluded between 64 and 128 to 1. AKA 1 oz in a half gallon, or 1 oz in 1 gallon.

 

[Beman]

Ok so basically are yall saying I just need to spray the plants down really well with the water? The hibiscus are in pots with rocks on top of the soil. I opened up the cage and the screen is doing a really good job keeping the ash from getting into the actual cage. The hibiscus do not seem fazed 4 new blooms today.

I guess my only real concern since I can spray it off the cage and off the branches is would there be any danger of Beman eating the flowers since they have been exposed to it.

I do not understand the alkaline this and that. So I do not understand if there is actually risk or not. And since I overthink everything as yall know it makes it more difficult when there is potential of risk that I do not actually understand.

 

[snitz427]

The acid vs alkaline is only in regards to what grows well in that type of soil. If most of the ash is staying out, I think you are fine, as is Beman. Just spray it with the hose when its all over and call it a day.