How I usually "get over" removal of plants that disappoint me- call the dead/dying/uneeded plant every cuss word I can think of then insult its heritage and describe in detail the inferior genetics bestowed up on the poor specimen while dragging it to the burn pile. The important thing is to make it about the plant, not the gardener or mother nature. Like the two 'Mt Airy''s I killed last year when I planted them in a high spot and didn't water them religiously in the drought. I planted them in the fall and gave them plenty of time to root in. It's their own damn fault for not putting out roots more aggressively! (When I get some more, I will site them in a wetter spot, still the blame is on THEM!) After all, I had a 'Blue Shadow' that excelled in part shade, was a much smaller plant and planted in the spring in very compacted soil near the house. So I know the species is capable of doing well. The 'Mt Airy's were just inferior plants! ;) If I actually liked the plant, I'll chop it up into small pieces and use it as mulch for the replacement plant. (The 'Mt Airy's got this treatment and I'm still hoping they sprout from the roots this spring) Kind of like cremation and spreading ashes kind of thing. This does not happen very often... I think I've done it twice... Now... finding a new pretty replacement is never very hard and something I am always on the look out for. It is not all that uncommon to give a plant a premature departure from the garden just so I can try something else in that spot. This usually includes moving the original somewhere else, but sometimes, it ends up cooking on the driveway before being tossed in the burn pile. I suppose this is torture on some level but still legal AFAIK... John

Well, I kind of hate to play the role of smarty pants, but regarding solubility potassium, like sodium, is tremendously soluble in most all chemical formulations. Phosphorous, on the other hand, generally is not soluble as found in nature. Chemical based fertilizers are formulated so both potassium and phosphorous are available as portions of soluble chemicals and so are quickly available to the plant root system so long as moisture is present. A couple typical chemicals that are frequently used are potassium chloride (potash) and ammonium phosphate. Potash is mined from deep deposits, mostly in Canada, or extracted from Great Salt Lake water. Phosphorous is obtained from rock deposits mined in many places in the US and worldwide. It must go through some extensive chemical processing to end up as soluble ammonium phosphate. I'm not making any statements here about the relative advantages/disadvantages of chemical fertilizers compared to "organic" or natural based fertilizers (I use them both), just want to clarify the solubility situation a bit. Catman, when you burn materials such as bone and bananna peels you are really just carrying on a simple chemical reaction called oxidation. What will be left of your two valued elements will be oxides. Once wetted they will hydrate to hydroxides and then may react further to salts depending what other elements are available in your soil and at what ph they are present. No organic fertilization here! But, indeed, you will get some very small fertilization benefit aside from the soil ph situation which is a bit more complicated.

Between mowing our lawn, and pruning our trees and hedges, my husband & I produce a lot of garden rubbish throughout the year, and have a good size garden [e.g. 200 feet x 30-40 feet. We only ever light up our bonfire once a year, and that is on bonfire night. All our grass cutting, as well as all recyclable household cuttings are put into our 2 large compose bins, and used to enrich our vegetable/ flower/ herb gardens. In our minds, there is absolutely no excuse for the excessive burning of rubbish all year around, but especially during the warmer months, when people must have their windows open. I suffer from a severe breathing disorder, that has been interfering with my heart lately. For someone like me it is worse than being in hell to have to be shut up in my home in 30+ weather, just because some inconsiderate moron chooses to burn their rubbish on the hottest day/ nights of the year! If more people get together and force their councils to submit bylaws to prohibit the constant burning of rubbish throughout the warmer months, then we could possibly make garden life a more pleasant experience for everyone. I would be willing to start a campaign in my area, and even try to get local people to sign a petition. If enough people call for a change in bonfire bylaws, then we may be able to make a difference. However, if you would prefer to just complain to the thin air, then the problem will never be resolved, and people like me, with serious health risks, will continue to suffer for it. As for the person that thinks they are doing us a favour by only burning rubbish every fortnight. If you have a dozen different neighbours burning rubbish every fortnight, but on different days, it is still way too much smoke! If WE can get by with only burning rubbish once a year, then we strongly feel that other's really do NOT need to burn rubbish every fortnight, or even every month! So why don't you people who like to run out to your garden every time you have something to burn, try thinking of someone else, besides yourself, for a change!

Ditto what the above folks have said. Add a little potting soil, rake out some ash, should be fine. Maybe even great. My logic is this. For years growing up ( I am 50 now ) we always sown a "hot bed". My father would burn an area of garden to sow new seeds for garden. After lighting/burning an area he would then sow veggie seeds for planting. The burning would remove any weeds and weed seeds. To have a fresh start. Just my opinion.