Bonfire advice

[Mw Roofline]

We've removed a complete hedge in our back garden between myself and my neighbours garden as we're having a fence installed. Now the hedge was very thick and long. I've now got a pile of hedge in my garden about 3 metres high and 2.5 metres wide.

The plan is to set fire to it, but i'm worried about the wind carrying chunks of ember etc over into the other neighbours gardens so I may have to have little fires until the pile has lowered.

So I guess my questions are...

Is it best to wait for all the leaves and green to die before the fire?
Shall I keep the pile dry with a huge tarpaulin ready for the big day?
Are there any laws about bonfires? (I searched in the local council website and couldn't find anything)
I don't really want to use petrol to get it going, is there a better method?
Shall I put some shuttering around it to stop hedgehogs getting in?

Thanks in advance

 

[DIYDANDY]

Ask the experts...

http://www.wmfs.net/

 

[ladylola]

Dandy's link didn't work for me, but for what it's worth here's my experience.
We cleared a large area of ground at our house and had several bonfires. We were reported to the council who wrote to us adviseing of other ways to dispose of the waste. However, no action was taken by the council because it was an isolated incident and that's the last we heard of it.
As to the practicallitys of the fire itself-
Dry stuff will burn cleaner and produce less smoke, covering the pile with a tarp won't do any harm but do ensure the wind can blow through the pile, perhaps only cover it if rain treatens or you're away.
When it comes to the actual burning I tend to use a wire box, like a shopping trolly minus its wheels and start the fire with shavings and dry wood such as an old pallet and then feed the rubbish onto it, so no need to worry about hedgehogs.
And don't forget it'll soon be bonfire night(s) when the council turn a blind eye

 

[joe-90]

Take it to the tip.

 

[oompah]

Why not wait until November 5th and have the neigbours around for drinks.

 

[imamartian]

store the pile away from where you will have the bonny, then move it in place on the day, that'll stop you roasting a hedgehog or two.

 

[merlin50]

500g spaghetti, 30ml olive oil, 250g lean hedgehog, 1 medium onion (chopped), 125ml water, 60ml dry white wine, 4 eggs, 60ml double cream, 100g grated parmesan cheese

• chop hedgehog into small chunks

• beat eggs and cream together in a bowl. Add half the parmesan cheese

• put pasta in boiling water

• put onions and hedgehog chunks in pan with olive oil on medium heat until onions are almost clear

• add wine and reduce heat

• drain pasta when cooked, combine it with egg, cream and cheese mix

• add meat, onions and wine without draining fat and mix thoroughly

• garnish with remaining parmesan

• serve immediately

 

[oompah]

With or without the prickles.

 

[ladylola]

Go all rotten posh and use the prickles for cheese and pineapple chunks

 

[gregers]

or tooth picks,there be a plenty.

 

[Mw Roofline]

Take it to the tip.

The hedge was like 200 ft long, the pile is huge

 

[Mw Roofline]

Why not wait until November 5th and have the neigbours around for drinks.

Sounds a plan!

 

[conny]

Hire a shredder and recycle man!

(I'm not really green, just jealous you've got such a big garden! )

 

[ColJack]

easiest way to cook a hedgehog is to wrap it in clay and put it into the hot coals of a fire.. ( after gutting it obviously ).

when cooked, crack the clay off and the prickles come off with it..

 

[Karinska]

I'm starting to seriously worry about you CJ

Like conny, I would've suggested hiring a shredder 'cos apart from anything else, if the pile's that big, it'll probably be burning for a week