[Gravedigger]

Hi

If I'm in the wrong section of the forum for this question I apologise.  I was wondering if it was possible/what everyone thought about clearing an overgrown plot by burning rather than strimming?

The culprits are mainly long grass, nettles and a sizeable bramble patch.

Looking forward to your replies

[Yorkie]

Things you need to consider:

1. Safety - is there an adequate water supply in case things get out of hand; will it burn anything you want to keep?
2. Does your tenancy forbid bonfires?
3. How wet is the material - will it burn / cause lots of smoke (statutory nuisance)
4. It won't kill off all the roots
5. It will effectively clear much of the top growth and buy you time

[savbo]

having some experience of managing grass fires, I often found that autumn fires didn't clear that much as there is still too much green material around... the hottest and fiercest fires were often in Fenruary when almost everything is dead (remember the soil catching fire one year, it was still smouldering months later - pulled a branch out and it burst into flames!)

M

[Gravedigger]

Thanks for the advice.

I wasn't keen on the idea anyway but other half was...I'll convince him otherwise 

[JamPan]

What is it with men and the pyromania?? I've just left two of them on our site with a bonfire worthy of Guy Fawkes.

*whispers* I'm rather fond of a good blaze myself

[potatogrower]

suppose you could burn it all but  there is no guarantee that the roots will die. when i first started i  dug out huge patches of soil, turn it over and just left it there for the soil to dry out. once dry i beaten it with a stick or big fork and shake the soil off and all that was left was some weeds and grass with roots ready to throw away. takes ages but i normally look at digging weeds out as a form of exercise and once inside gives you an excuse to have a beer or 2