Topic: BONFIRES

[Good Gourd 2]

Up until now we have been able to light bonfires on our sight, but due to people abusing the rules our council are now trying to ban them.  I can see why, but just wondering what everyone else does with their potato and Tomato tops and anything that cannot be composted.  I know they say you can bury them but I don`t think this is the answer on our sight as a lot don`t have a double dig in em let alone dig a hole big enough to bury stuff. What happens on your sites, can anyone give me  any ideas please.

[BarriedaleNick]

I bag up anything slightly blighted and take it home to bin it.  Anything else get composted.  In 8 or so years I have had one fire and that was because I had a lot of rotten wood.  We do allow fires on our site but we are between the railway and a row of houses so we have to be very careful which way the wind is blowing.

[Borlotti]

The Council are bringing a rubbish truck tomorrow to our site.  It is only a small trailer and everyone rushes to get rid of their rubbish.  Did have a large bonfire the other evening, I try not to upset the neighbours but had a lot to burn.  Should be OK to have a bonfire on November 5, if it is dry enough, no-one can complain about that.  Get your Site Secretary to ask Council for a rubbish truck, it is only left on the allotment for a couple of days, and think we can only have it twice a year.  Obviously this is only if you are on a Council site.

[100mph]

We get two skips a year, although special pleading can result in more but they're only for 'non-compostable material'.
We're allowed bonfires except on Sundays and Mondays, and fires must not be left unattended, and should be extinguished at sunset. It's expected that thought is given to wind direction and speed and resultant smoke before a fire is lit.
It all seems reasonable to me.

[gwynnethmary]

We're allowed fires on the first weekend of every month from October to March, but can only burn between 12noon and 4 pm, and we have to get a permit from the council beforehand each time.   Personally, I think the time slot should be extended to the whole weekend, so that we could take advantage of a  good dry morning, especially if rain is forecast for later in the day....just seems sensible to me.

[cornykev]

We had our trailer last week and mine went on there, but as said bag it up and take home to compost or burn on bonfire night that shouldn't be a problem.   

[Unwashed]

Is there a contamination risk from blighted tops?  I though the blight spores were killed on the compost heap and that it only harboured on volunteer potatoes.  I'm sure that was the thrust of Robert Brenchley's advice.  I've only ever composted my potato tops and never had a particular problem with blight.

I'd note that there are two separate blights that affect potatoes and tomatoes, early and late blight - I wonder if the situation is the same with both kinds?

In general I think allotment burning is antisocial and unnecessary, the exception would be wood waste (old pallets, etc) which burn hot and smoke-free.

[gwynnethmary]

There is a limit to the amount of nasty things that can  be bagged up and removed when clearing an overgrown plot (in my case, YEARS overgrown!).  Our first fire was mainly to get rid of brambles.  Also, asparagus really needs to be burnt to get rid of any beetles, or so I have been led to believe from reading various books.  That was fun, watching it frizzle!

[BarriedaleNick]

Is there a contamination risk from blighted tops?

Almost certainly not we are talking over-wintering.  http://extension.umass.edu/landscape/sites/landscape/files/publications/late_blight_management.pdf - American but...

In my comment above I was refering to blighted plants that come down in season.  If I spot a blighted plant Ill cut it down or trim blighted tops off - bag it and bin it.  Everything else gets composted.

I agree with your sentiments on fires on plots.

[Unwashed]

In my comment above I was refering to blighted plants that come down in season.  If I spot a blighted plant Ill cut it down or trim blighted tops off - bag it and bin it.  Everything else gets composted.

Oh yes, I see what you mean, the spores on the tops are at risk of getting washed down to this year's tatties.  To be honest it's years since I grow main crop for just that problem, and just grow second earlies now, but when I did grew desiree and they got blighted I just cut the tops off and put them on the compost heap without any real problem (other than miserably small desiree!).

[Robert_Brenchley]

I cut down blighted tops and put them in a compost bin. They can't do much harm in there, and everthing's dead by the following season. Most stuff can be composted, and wood can be left in a corner as a wildlife resource. I get masses of clippings off my hedges (right now I've got a pile as tall as I am) and I've no qualms about lighting bonfires when I shouldn't. We're only supposed to light them in March and November, but the council don't care much in practice. For this year, I'm having them at the official time since I had someone trying to make trouble for my wife, and I don't want to risk being targetted.

[manicscousers]

We have the drum from inside a washing machine for small stuff and a burning bin (oil drum with holes drilled in it) with a piece of metal for a lid for bigger stuff. There's no space anywhere on our site for a bonfire

[ipt8]

I think you have a case to aproach the alotment owners and ask for some agreement to allow burning of possibly diseased stuff, or some alternative method of disposal.
I believe if you can do a hot compost heap the blight is killed.

[Robert_Brenchley]

We have hedges on my site, and we're currently restricted to bonfires in March and November only. It doesn't bother me as I've long been in the habit of piling everything up and having one or two good ones a year. Other people end up throwing wood onto skips which are only intended for stuff plotholders can't get rid of themselves.

The problem is the Birmingham City Council insist on having the same set of rules for every site, and there are some which are close to houses. They don't actually enforce the rules much, and some people do have bonfires when they feel like it without any complaints from anyone, while others go 'Aarrrgh!!!! The Rules!!!!!'

[winecap]

We have no restrictions on fires, except they should be done with consideration for neighbours. In practice, I only have small scale fires with very dry wood to boil my kettle and nobody seems to notice them. Once a year I burn everything with thorns on as I don't like thorns in my compost, but everything else goes into the compost. Its a real shame not to compost. I wasted so much composting material when I first started by burning it, and spent a packet on compost, but now I don't buy any. Personally I feel sorry for the residents around the allotment site who are regularly smoked out. Our council talked about banning fires a couple of years ago, but they can't enforce the rules we do have, so making more would be pointless, especially as the least considerate people would be sure to ignore them.

[kt.]

Oct to Mar our fire times are 2-4pm due to the amount of daylight as we don't want fires burning in the dark hours.  Apr to Sept fire times are 6-8pm due to extended daylight.  Outside these times are prohibited and warning letters are sent to offenders by the town council.  3 strikes and you're out rule applies.  We have yet to get to 3 strikes as one is usually suffice and a second reiterates termination of tenancy should the offence reoccur.  Before going down the official route, as site manager I have a quiet word with offenders if caught in the act and that is usually suffice.  Though many plead ignorant to the timings apart from the fact there is a sign at the entrance gate and others are just unlucky at getting caught........ 

[Aden Roller]

No bonfire restrictions for us other than fires not to be started until 30 minutes before sundown and then not to be left smouldering. Consideration for others mostly means not buring "green" materials only material that can be burnt speedily.

Considering the number of plots on our site there are very few who burn anything unless it is to tackle a "new" over-grown plot and have one thorough clean sweep.

I often have problems getting materials dry enough to burn on the plot but at home we had some whoppers of fires when we cleared a big section of over-grown trees and shrubs in a newly purchased bungalow across the road. Anything that was too big to go through the shredder was burnt.

I have found one very successful way of generating enough heat to create a quick, low smoking fast burning fire. Not to be recommended to others for safety I feel..