Burning Rootballs

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mass_burner

Minister of Fire
Sep 24, 2013
2,645
SE Mass
I just dug a rhododendron bush and the root ball is very heavy and as big as a basketball. Anyone burn these? I have it out in the sun trying to dry so I can get all the dirt off it.
 
We had pigs once and they got out because we didnt know how to do the fence right. And they dug up my mothers rhododendrons. Lol
Pigs like rhododendron roots. They have been field tested.
 
I tried burning staghorn sumac roots because the species is prolific and I didn't want them growing back. Digging it all out of the ground keeps it from coming back but burning the roots was a total pain and not that successful.
I personally wont try to burn a pile of rootballs again.
Stick it in your gabage.
 
Our town doesn't allow stumps in burn piles, because the burn for ever and never go away.
 
Put some diesel fuel on it and burn that bad boy
 
Sorry for the confusion, I have the root ball out already, wondering if I should burn it in the stove.
 
There is no reason not to burn it. It is wood. If small enough to fit in the door and dry it will burn like any other wood.

The reason stumps are traditionally a burning nuisance is because folks try and burn them when they are green, wet, full of dirt, and whole.
 
I've taken to occasionally just setting aside some twisted uglies and oddball pieces. My wood is going onto pallets, where it will sit for few years. There's only so much room on top of the pallets to put oddball uglies. (my pallet racks restrict how much I can round up pallets)

So.. lately when I have a burn going.. I'll throw these wet, twisted, ugly pieces in on top of a good bed of coals. Yeah, they don't burn great.. but who cares. There's energy in there, and it's easier to get rid of them than try to accommodate them in the stacks.

I say.. burn it. But throw it on the top of something that's really going good.

JP
 
Got a chance to whack the root ball with the Axe and it split into 3 pieces. Looks pretty dry but I threw it on top of the ugly bin. I have two more to dig up.
 
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