Starting a wood stove fire without newspaper

[Stelcom66]

The hosta I have is good ground cover - and I've been keeping the shoots (or stems, not sure of the term) after the flowers fall off. When dried, even from the previous summer the shoots make for excellent kindling. I can easily start a fire with those and wood kindling - no newspaper required. Years ago burning leaves outside was banned where I live, but I'd think using dried leaves instead of newspaper would be a greener method to start a fire. I haven't tried it - it may take more leaves than I think since they'll burn fast.

I wonder what other natural combustible things could replace newspaper. Even though some of the kindling I cut seems dry and small/thin enough, I don't have much luck starting a fire with that alone.

Kept the furnace on it's lowest setting last night - was 54 degrees in the house this morning. That's ok - wearing something warm while the wood stove warmed up was fine.

 

[Doug MacIVER]

when I grew up in the 50's mom and dad always knocked off the heat @night. then there was always a cracked window in every bedroom. Hot breakfast and out the door walking to school. nothing better than depression parents. thank God they forgot the bath tub and released the shower!! I'd say burn the paper and give yourself a break.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Torch works great and lasts years. Drier lint is also great. Also something that tends to be thrown in the trash.

 

[Stelcom66]

That hot breakfast sounds good - I should make time for that. Yes the newspaper is easy and dependable. I'll revert to that after unsuccessful tries without it.

Never thought of using dryer lint - true it usually gets tossed. I saw the band that your name sounds like play live back in 2006!

 

[jdp1152]

newspapers (the local one isn't available online), grocery sacks, whatever twigs I find lying around outside, whatever scrap lumber I have from interior renovation projects...I don't discriminate too heavily as to what I use provided it's safe.

 

[firefighterjake]

I cannot even fathom the idea of bagging up dry leaves and stuffing them into the woodstove to get a fire going . . . maybe for a camp fire while out in the willy wags.

 

[firefighterjake]

May as well say it . . . two words when it comes to starting a fire without newspaper.

Super Cedars.

 

[Blackcat]

I stuff the dryer lint in empty TP tubes

 

[Snotrocket]

I use egg crates I get from restaurants. I have hundreds of them piled up in the basement.

They stack easy and burn for a decent amount of time to get the fire going.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

sounds like to much work to me not to mention storage space issues. A stack of newspapers would be easier on all fronts.

 

[David.Ervin]

I use torn up cardboard boxes, like from cereal or whatever. Burns longer than newspaper, so it's easier to get kindling going.