>>1786882Charcoal and ashes are high ph so you need to ba careful how you use them but they can also be an excellent source of nutrients. Different plants have different wants.
I too have a question though. How bad are ants? Usually I don't worry but tgis is my only hot pepper plant this year and the ants are really moving in. How much will they impede the growth? And if I need to get rid of them how should I?