The message
from "H Ryder" contains these words:

I think that I need to have a bonfire (3 compost bins currently buried under
huge pile of "woody stuff") but am not sure how to go about it. In
particular - how far from teh house/hedges etc does it need to be?

At least three metres (for a beginner's bonfire 4ft high.)


Can I do
it on grass (i.e. will it regrow?)

It will, but you'll have a bare black hole for a year/ Not
recommended unless you want to clear the grass.


and what will burn - i.e. do I need to
leave all the stuff to dry out first?

Anything that was a plant once, will burn. It's better dried out
because it will then be easy to light, burn fast and hot, and be over
quickly. Old stuff is probably fairly dry. Just a few days in hot sun
may be enough drying for new stuff..Damp stuff, or fresh green stuff,
smoulders a long time on a small fire, and is smellier and makes more
smoke, so won't be popular with neighbours. Don't choose a time when
they have washing hanging on the line.

Use crumpled newspaper and the driest sticks to light it. DO NOT pour
on petrol. Save the ash when it's cooled down, and spread round garden
plants.

Janet.