[bigben]

This might sound mad but please bear with me. I am near the top of a waiting list for an allotment of my own and all those being given up are very overgrown with high, extremely overgrown hedges on 4 sides. I have been told that cutting the hedge down to a sensible level (ie chopping 6 foot off) and burning it will help clear the ground. It also reduces volume and gets rid of what would otherwise shade the plot. My experience this year in trying to do the same on a friends plot has been mixed. Despite using lots of paper and cardboard it was v tough to get a decent fire going. Using an old metal barrel was easier but restricted it to a small area. I dont like the idea of petrol or meths residue in the soil. Any alternatives or do I persevere with the old metal burner? I hoped that the fire might also destroy surface weed seeds (loads of docs that have released seeds) which is why I wanted to cover more of the surface.

[Leedsniner]

I keep a blowlamp in my shed. When the firewood is wet I light the bonfire using the blowlamp - works every time.

[mumofstig]

My garden plot was the same and needed a lot of pruning to let the light in.
The thing is the hedge trimmings won't burn easily as they are still full of sap. It would take a good few months before they would. So I have no easy answers for you

[tode]

An old tyre works wonders (burns a long time), but I feel that there's going to be an avalanche of 'ARRRGHH' s     

[madcat]

Tode!!!!   Do you want to get the man arrested before he gets a spade in the (contaminated) ground!     It aint legal to go around burning tyres here!

As MumoS says, they won't burn well because of the sap and they will be sopping wet.  The best would be to borrow a trailer and cart them off as green waste to the tip.  Otherwise yes - your little burner will let the air in and keep it hot so once started with drier stuff you can keep topping it up as you work.  Your neighbours might object - you are going to produce a Lot of smoke.   

[Alby]

get youself a lot of old wood, logs, pallets old shed bits. get a good hot fire going then throw them on top  problem solved. Or get a tyre                  

[arugula]

It aint legal to go around burning tyres here!

Not just tyres, there are loads of laws and bye-laws around the country about when/if/what you can/can't burn. Its a minefield.

[tode]

May be, but they don't 'arf work well                  

[bexy]

Use a wired incinerator or makes lots of holes in the metal burner you have.The more air getting in the better.

[Salmo]

Cut the hedge and leave the cuttings for a month and they will burn. As has been said, start with a small hot fire and gradually put the cuttings on.

Alternatively hire a chipper for a day. The chippings are excellent for paths. They do not like brambles.

Is it not the Council's responsibility to cut the hedge before you take over?

[scabs]

I thought the French used livestock to start a fire? 

[tode]

Only if there's plenty of fat on em         

[Goosegirl]

I bought myself a great shredder - a Viking (250 I think but search for my previous thread on detalis). I have hawthorn hedges mainly, but also an awful lot of twiggy prunings from shrubs and roses plus veg stuff. You could hire it out on the allotment to recoup your investment!

[philsmith1967]

You need a really good,hot base. Use loads of dry seasoned timber and have a fire going for a good half hour. Burn your trimmings and keep adding the odd bit of timber to prevent the fire base burning out. Adding the  trimmings a small amount at a time is better than large quantities - have fun and be safe

[Bluedave]

Hiring a shredder/chipper is the way forward for the branchy bits, shred 'em up then they burn more easily or use the chippings as paths as someone else suggested.