Burning green woods in the garden

[spader]

I have loads of green woods - the twigs, stems and branches cut from the leylandii hedges, old leggy fuscia trees and some holly trees lying in the garden in the piles of mounds here and there. They are lying in the corner of the garden, and I need to dispose of them somehow. I am going to take all the leaves off with a knife, and compost them in the bin and also the front garden on the soil as mulch.

But the woods - twigs and stems and branches are problem. Where do I discard them I am not sure. I was thinking of burning them in the fire pit or wood stove. But just wondering if burning the green woods (unseasoned) in the firepit or wood stove would be OK for the smoke, fumes and smell during burning. Or should they be left to dry out for at least 6 months before burning to reduce the smoke, fumes and burning smell.

 

[Why Not Indeed]

As well as being a pollution nuisance, wet timber is difficult to ignite.
You could consider chipping them and using them as mulch.
You could consider simply leaving some of them to rot naturally. I have used various logs to edge borders and they rot in place slowly over a few years and for at least some of that time, they actually work as edging. I can appreciate that this is not everybody's idea of a cultivated and pretty garden, but mine is pretty rough and "shaggy", so it works for me
Your local authority probably has a facility for this kind of stuff.

 

[DiyNutJob]

In town, you can take it recycle centre.

 

[foxhole]

As well as being a pollution nuisance, wet timber is difficult to ignite.
You could consider chipping them and using them as mulch.
You could consider simply leaving some of them to rot naturally. I have used various logs to edge borders and they rot in place slowly over a few years and for at least some of that time, they actually work as edging. I can appreciate that this is not everybody's idea of a cultivated and pretty garden, but mine is pretty rough and "shaggy", so it works for me
Your local authority probably has a facility for this kind of stuff.

I put mine thru shredder, local council collect in “garden waste “ wheely bin.

 

[spader]

Our council has started charging for the garden waste Brown recycle bin collection. Not sure how much the cost is, but we and many people in the area stopped using the collection service. Just have been composting the garden waste, but when more than usual amount of trees have been pruned, the waste bin collection would have been so handy. Will cut them up, and leave them to naturally compost in the garden, or burn them in the firepit.

 

[Mike13]

Put as a pile on a corner of the garden and make a haven for wildlife for the next 5 years? My neighbours did that with a whole cherry tree with a 1 foot plus trunk, the whole rounds disappeared within 10 years.

 

[spader]

Put as a pile on a corner of the garden and make a haven for wildlife for the next 5 years? My neighbours did that with a whole cherry tree with a 1 foot plus trunk, the whole rounds disappeared within 10 years.

Great idea. Thanks.

 

[lostinthelight]

Run the mower over it a few times and compost it

 

[Odds]

Holly and leylandii are a waste of time to compost so cut 'em up to burn - keep woody stems to fill out the mulch layers then think about planting something other than those evergreen ogres.

 

[spader]

leylandii was from next door neighbors garden bordering our garden. It kept growing too high and into our garden side ways too much too, so I just got a ladder, and pruned them off. Yes, leylandii seems not good for composting. They just sit on the ground for ages, and don't really mix with soil like fur on the floor. Maybe burning is better as you suggested. The holly is from my garden. The leaves and twigs get used to put down on the paths to deter the next door cats coming to our grass, so maybe will keep them for that.

 

[Mander]

I had a leylandii cut down several years ago and saved a few branches for the fire pit. I ended up cutting them down and putting them in the bin because I did not like the way they smelled when burned. Usually I like the smell of wood smoke.

 

[spader]

I had a leylandii cut down several years ago and saved a few branches for the fire pit. I ended up cutting them down and putting them in the bin because I did not like the way they smelled when burned. Usually I like the smell of wood smoke.

Maybe they should all go as just mulching the garden soil. I will be burning some woods this week as the weather looks will be dry and nice all week.