For generations, gardeners have used woodfire ash in the garden as a kind of free homemade fertiliser. Grandparents swore by it. Old orchard growers scattered it beneath fruit trees. Veggie gardeners sprinkled it around the tomatoes and roses. But does wood ash actually help the garden… or is it just another one of those old gardening myths that’s been passed down over time?

Have you ever watered the garden… only to watch the water bead up, run sideways, or disappear into cracks like it’s actively avoiding the soil? Chances are, you’re dealing with hydrophobic soil, Let’s gently unpack what’s going on, why it happens, and how we can bring that soil back to life 💚