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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,758
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

I have a 1.68 acres of land in the county. I'm considering burning my yard waste as I've got a nice sized pile now that I've chopped down some trees the rabbits have deposited last year and lower tree limbs and trimming from chopping down the neighbor's giant holly that has invaded my yard. I can't burn today because it is all still wet from being fresh cut and from the rain last week and will be this coming week. I'm considering a barrel or just the pile. I have a compost bin and plan to take the ashes/remains and put in there. I also have tons of that stupid dill weed/dog fennel junk all over the place. I poison it and it still comes back no matter what I hack it down with, dig up, or poison it with. How do I get rid of that stuff? I also have tons of blackberries that the rabbits have deposited and are nice and large right now, budding to make plump berries, so I'll probably just let them be as they are next to the house now and will fruit soon. Then I'll get rid of them.

Thanks for the help with my new yard mess. I feel like I'm in the jungle.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 38,157
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

We used to have a mulching machine, and it made wonderful compost along with the rabbit droppings. I had the best soil, but now the machine and bunnies are gone. We have mandatory recycling here, and we can stuff as many garbage cans with composting material, leaves, branches, etc. as we want and leave it out with the garbage for pick up. You could also hire someone to pick it up, but if you chop it up and just leave it on the ground, it will decompose and then can be worked into garden beds, or just left alone.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,979
Registered: ‎07-28-2012

Re: Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

I also always have a huge amount of yard debris; where I live it is ok with the city to burn, which is what I do, usually once in Spring and several times in Fall. I just choose a day when there is little to no wind and spend however many hours out there burning. We can take it to waste management area ourselves, but it would be probably 200+ bags, and they are only open a few hours a couple days a week, so not really a great option.

"To each their own, in all things".
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,758
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

I'm out in the county down a dirt road, so no problems burning or permits needed. I've actually had neighbors about burn down the area with their yard burning. One burning out weeds and not watching it. The other with a burn pile and not watching it. That day I came home to 3/4 of the yard (1.68 acres) burned right up to the house! The kids were stomping it out. They thought it would be fine since we had lots of rain a few days before and the ground was still wet. What they didn't take into account was the wind that dried out the winter dry grass in February, so it burned like no body's business. I thought about putting bricks around my pile for burning to keep it contained, sit outside and read a book and cook marshmallows when the trimming and weather is drier. I thought about a barrel to better contain it as well, but haven't had experience in burning yard waste. We don't have county pick up and dumping it is very expensive at the land fill, plus I would like to use the remains in my compost to set up beds in the fall.

I saw an article where someone created raised planting beds with rectangle bales of hay and using compost and yard clipping in the bottom with a layer of cardboard and news paper then compost and soil.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,627
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

I would consider purchasing a chipper/shredder. They can be fairly expensive, but if this amount of yard waste is frequent, it would be great to have. And, it would provide you with some nice mulch. You can also rent one.

We live in a wooded area, so we return a lot of our yard waste "back to nature." We use a back section of our property to deposit the waste, and lawn clippings, and it breaks down very quickly, and produces beautiful soil.

"I've been here since October 2006. Wow!"
Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,143
Registered: ‎04-18-2012

Re: Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

When we had our 10 acres we had 2 compost piles, but I never put poisonous stuff in there. We did have trash pickup so it went out for them. All wood that was safe to use was burned in the wood stove.

Don't Change Your Authenticity for Approval
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,758
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

I'm looking for something inexpensive since once it is cleared, I won't have this much to dispose of again. Hopefully the future waste can be disposed of similarly or in my compost pile.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,979
Registered: ‎07-28-2012

Re: Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

Just back in from cutting back my ornamental grasses, that added to my growing pile. We had 8 large trees trimmed and limbed up last year, one dead tree removed and one stump ground up and all removed from our property, done professionally, so that has cut down on the amount, but last weekend, I cut 7 low limbs (maybe 8-9 feet from the ground) from a giant pine tree, so will have that to burn also. Each year the amount has been decreasing, but it is a challenge every year. Maybe someday I can just bag it up and take to the re-cycling place, but not quite yet.

"To each their own, in all things".
Honored Contributor
Posts: 38,157
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

On 3/29/2015 only shops online said:

I would consider purchasing a chipper/shredder. They can be fairly expensive, but if this amount of yard waste is frequent, it would be great to have. And, it would provide you with some nice mulch. You can also rent one.

We live in a wooded area, so we return a lot of our yard waste "back to nature." We use a back section of our property to deposit the waste, and lawn clippings, and it breaks down very quickly, and produces beautiful soil.

Tight, this is what we had, only I called it a mulcher, it was great.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 1,320
Registered: ‎01-31-2012

Re: Questions of how to deal with yard waste???

When I tackle my burn pile I take the hose and soak (really soak) the ground around where I'm going to burn, at minimum two feet wide. I keep the hose and a rake nearby and watch the fire carefully. I also take care that the pile is not so large that is can quickly get out of hand, better to add more as the pile burns.

Don't overlook that you will have a burned and scorched area when the fire goes out so choose your location carefully making sure there are no trees or wires overhead. Here, at least, any grass beneath the burn pile quickly regenerates.