Extreme fire danger vs. the garden

18 years ago

This region is in the middle of a massive drought and we have been under the threat of fast-spreading wildfires for several months now. Normally, I would be swiping bags of leaves and discarded Christmas trees and dragging them home to my garden, but this year I don't want the extra dry organic matter on my property. But - what about the stuff that is already here?! The paper today said that homeowners should be raking and discarding all their leaves and removing any dry garden debris. Ack. I have a large garden - mainly roses - but lots and lots of perennials and annuals that bit the dust during a freeze last month. I normally do my spring-clean up starting in mid-February, but it takes me 2-3 months to get everything cut back and cleaned up - and you can't even imagine the piles of clippings I generate. I have gardened here for 11 years and have never let any of my organic matter leave the place! I hate the thought of letting my stuff go to the landfill - but on the other hand - these fires are horrible. I have been watering and watering, but can't even keep the compost pile wet despite turning a sprinkler on it for several hours every couple days. What would you do? Thanks ~ Suzie

Comments (6)

ericwi
18 years ago
You could reduce the water loss from your pile if you watered it in the evening, and then covered it with a plastic tarp. The tarp would have to be held down at the edges. One way to do this is to tie a piece of string to a l pound rock, and then tie the rock to the grommet on the tarp. It might take 12 rocks to hold down a typical tarp.
Kimmsr
18 years ago
All that organic matter is helping to hold moisture in your soil and that will actually help protect your plants in the event you might have a fire come by, I would leave everything in place.
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trancegemini_wa
18 years ago
"The paper today said that homeowners should be raking and discarding all their leaves and removing any dry garden debris."

thats standard procedure over here in fire prone areas at the start of the fire season. The idea is to remove anything dry that might provide fuel for the fire, particularly around the vicinity of the house and buildings because if you get a fire coming close then all it takes is some embers or sparks to set that dry fuel alight. I guess it's up to you but if you do get a fire coming through then every little thing you do to halt the fire could mean the difference between losing your house or possibly saving it.

"I normally do my spring-clean up starting in mid-February, but it takes me 2-3 months to get everything cut back and cleaned up - and you can't even imagine the piles of clippings I generate."

just my opinion, it's best not to do that pruning right now which will only generate more potential dry material. I would leave it until the end of the fire season and then prune away, that way you wont lose all that compostable material but you wont have piles of drying material lying around either.
notenoughroses
Original Author
18 years ago
Well, our burn ban has now been extended until June! And it even includes outdoor cooking. Ack.
Regarding the leaves - I have started raking some of them - but I am more concerned, I guess, about the 20 year old 6-foot tall wooden fences that surround our subdivision. From what I have heard on the news, the fences are going up and then spreading the fires like crazy. I have been watering our fences every few days. And I am trying to rake the leaves away from the fence area. I sure hate to see the leaves go to the landfill, but I don't see that I have any other choice right now. Thanks - Australia - for your input. This area is not really known for extended droughts like this so this is all new to me.
I am planning on wetting down the compost pile tomorrow and covering it with a tarp. ~ Suzie
linda_tx8
18 years ago
I also have some problems with this drought. I had large piles of brush that I paid someone to come do with a chipper-shredder. Now I have a number of piles of mulch from that. I can't use it all in the yard now, so I worry about the mulch piles being a fire hazard sitting out on the property. I need to get all the mulch in one huge pile so I can cover it. You're right, when the humidity is so extremely low and the temperature gets up in the high 70's/low 80's, it's like desert air and smaller compost piles dry out very quickly. I think a larger pile tends to keep the moisture a bit longer, drying out mostly in the outer parts of it at first. What about lasagna composting, wouldn't that be better?
bryan24
18 years ago
We water. I live in San Antonio, similar conditions. I have a higher water bill year round because the water system uses winter water usage to determine sewar fees (they assume all usage in the winter is indoors), but it's worth it. We even water the greenbelt behind the house, about 4-10 feet out. More green mater around the house, less likely to burn. That's my theory, at least. We still mulch in the grass and leaves and stuff. And we've got a green back yard for the kids to run around in year round. How else could I call my sister in Chicago on New Years and brag about wiggling my bare toes in the grass every year?
laurel-tx

Extreme fire danger vs. the garden

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