What am I going to do with all these brambles!?!

[Seahorse]

If you've seen my recent posts, you'll know I have a massive amount of brambles to clear. I was vaguely thinking burn or stack in a pile and 'sort out later' but I'm slowly realising just how many there are I filled an oildrum burner thing today in about 20 minutes, with maybe 1% of the total brambles. We're allowed bonfires but I don't think *I'd* want someone continually wafting smoke and smells around the site. We're not that far from houses either. I don't have a car, so ferrying them away isn't a practical option, likewise I don't have an easy way of getting a hired chipper or anything onsite (although it may be worth paying a 'man with a van' to deliver one).

Any suggestions very welcome!

Claire

[rustylady]

Brambles are horrible. They make such a lot of growth and root and sucker all over the place. Rather than try to fill your burner with whole stems, it is worth cutting them into small sections with secateurs or loppers. Stacks smaller and burns quicker. Also, if you cut them and let them dry they should burn with very little smoke.

[carlseawolf]

stack them now and compost them later when you have your bins ready for that task ( it will keep the hedgehogs happy until spring )

[Dobby]

you could always have a big bonfire on november the 5th or during the week when there is hardly anyone there

[seasprout]

Can you not chop the majority down and stack them in a heap, then ask your site association to get you a skip, as, after all you are doing them a favour by clearing the site.

[PAULW]

CLAIRE
Cut them back and stack them up leave to dry then have a fire they will burn quicker with less smoke when dry.

[NOG]

You must burn them cos the thorns will not compost down, and you will get them stuck in your hands next year.. I would get a pallet or two and put it on the ground add a load of card and paper. pile ALL the brambles on top and dress with parafin and burn the lot in one go. The pallets will help airflow. and pallet burn very easily. once you have the hot ashes left rake them over a large area to kill of any weeds.

If you cant get a pallet on the bus...they do get fussey these days. go to halfords or one of the supermarkets and they normally have loads of broken ones just gather up some of the wood and use that.

[TPeers]

If you do have a bonfire - and it is the best way of killing a bramble - could I plead that you clear a seperate 'burning area', then stack and burn the same day - moving the stack of dried/part dried brambles from where ever you stack them to dry.

The bottom of a heap of prunings is such a good spot for hedgehogs!

[Seahorse]

Gonna be a big bonfire

I will keep stacking for now and wait till it's all a bit drier. I guess one (or two) large fires are probably better than me burning lots of small amounts. I'll do it on a weekday morning too, when hopefully the nuisance to others will be minimised.

TPeers - yes, absolutely!

Claire

[Two_Sheds]

Claire, Bonfires are really frowned upon these days. (whereas the altogether more anti-social fireworks seem not to be). anyway, it would be least likely to cause offence if you were able to burn everything on November the fifth !

[Seahorse]

Claire, Bonfires are really frowned upon these days.

I know We are allowed bonfires on the site but that was why I was looking for some sort of alternative solution. I'd tolerate it but I'd be less than thrilled if it was a lottie neighbour doing it while I was trying to have a nice peaceful day with a bit of clean air.

I won't have it anything like clear by Nov 5th but I might try and burn what I do have that day. Will the green bits burn though?

Claire

[TPeers]

Yes - but if you want the job to be quicker a little parafin poured over the pile (with the remainder put well out of the way) makes an exellent accelerant. Be very careful how you light the pile!

[Seahorse]

Thanks!

Claire

[Two_Sheds]

The green bits will burn when they get hot enough, but will create more smoke than dry brown crispy bits.
I have found a foolproof method of starting the fire, without kindling and all that boyscout stuff:
get a cardboard box, any size really. Stuff it with some balled up scrunched newspaper. Pile your rubbish over the top in a teepee shape, leaving a little "door" to the box into which you will light your match. Don't put all the rubbish on at once or you'll smother the fire. Let it get hot and put on more stuff as it burns down.
You really ought to have a bag of marshmallows and a bamboo cane to toast them on while you're at it.
Sorry if this is teaching anyone to suck eggs, but after years of being taught how to light a fire and being unable to do it, I thought up this method and its never failed me.

[Seahorse]

Marshmallows sound good

I'm a bit happier about the whole thing now. Having done a bit of clearance, I've realised there's actually plenty of space at the side of my plot to stack the chopped stuff for now (I'm an end plot). I've also talked to my next door neighbours and my one plot over neighbour, who all said they were fine with me burning it (in fact they all suggested it before I even asked!).

Claire