Burning has long been a traditional way of disposing of any awkward materials. At Pointalls our regulations (20 – 23) set out the current position. If burning is necessary we urge all plotholders to make use of our dedicated fire site (plot 7) where controlled burning ensures permitted materials are dealt with quickly and safely. This also ensures we minimise any nuisance from smoke and odours to our community and neighbours.
Many allotment sites now prohibit or restrict burning and plotholders need to find alternative solutions. Recently a National Allotment Society expert produced an article containing useful advice which we reproduce as follows:
A fruitful and productive allotment will not only provide food it will also harbour waste plant material that you can compost and ultimately use to feed nutrients back into the soil. However, woody parts will take longer to break down, while weed roots and seeds may well survive a cold compost heap and care must be taken to limit the further spread of pathogens from diseased elements.
- Chopping up and smashing woody stems will help with the decomposition process.
- Perennial weed roots such as dandelions, couch grass and nettles can be drowned in a bucket for four weeks before being added to the compost bin.
- The liquid can then be diluted and used as plant food.
- Some diseased materials, for example, fruit with brown rot or stored vegetables that have gone mouldy, can be buried in a trench at least 30cm deep.
- Plants affected by soil-borne diseases such as club root and white rot and foliage affected by late blight should be disposed off site.
- Elements blighted by less persistent disease such as mildew can be put in the compost heap.
To find out more go to nsalg.org.uk.