Question
What is ashy soil?

Answer
Hi Jo, Ashy soil is soil that was made from volcanic ash.  Normally there are distinct layers, the top is usually black from high concentrations of humic compounds, deeper layers tend to be yellowish brown to red and often feel greasy to the touch.  Ashy soils retain water well and tend not to clump when water is added. They also tend to have high levels of phosphate.  Jim