Dont throw it away! Wood ash is a resource not a waste - it can be a useful addition to your home compost heap or you can use it directly in the garden.
As far back as the ancient Roman scholars we have documented evidence of the value of returning ash to the land. In the 18th century, the benefits of ash-derived potash, or potassium carbonate, became business - millions of trees were felled in the USA, burned and the ash was exported to Britain for use on our farms as "potash fever" hit.
For the farm or the garden, wood ash can be a valuable source of lime, potassium and trace elements. Since wood ash is derived from plant material, it contains most of the essential nutrients the soil must supply for plant growth. When wood burns, nitrogen and sulfur are lost as gases, and calcium, potassium, magnesium and trace element compounds remain. The carbonates and oxides remaining after wood burning are valuable liming agents, raising pH, thereby helping to neutralize acidic soils.
If soils are acid and low in potassium, wood ash is extremely beneficial to most garden plants so you can add wood ash to your flower beds, lawns and shrubs. The areas where you should not use wood ash would be if you have ericaceous acid-loving plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons and azaleas.
The fertiliser value of wood ash depends on the type of wood you burn. As a general rule, hardwoods such as oak yield more ash and that ash also contains more nutrients than ash from softwoods.
When home composting, wood ash can be used to help maintain a neutral condition, the best environment to help microorganisms break down organic materials. Sprinkle ash on each layer of compost as the pile is built up. Ash also adds nutrients to compost.
Remember this is only ash from wood burners and bonfires you can do this with - never use ash derived from burning rubbish or coal as you may end up with harmful chemicals on your garden which is not good for anyone.
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