[knox gsl]

Where does the blower come into play? Accelerate the burn time?

With a quickness. You have to get it hot, then add an artificial breeze.
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[Smallaxe]

Where does the blower come into play? Accelerate the burn time?

Blowing a pile of wet leaves is most easily done when you move the leaves around with air... I would make a small pile of air dried leaves with the blower, start it on fire and blow the rest of the pile, peice meal into the flames...
When I've done this in the woods during winter we had mostly oak leaves to work with and occassionaly we would stop adding leaves to get the core temperature of the fire to rise then poke it with a stick... Most fires were done in 4-6 hours if smaller than a Volkswagon...

 

[jonnyz37]

The pile e have left is about 2 Volkswagen and no big oak leaves... Just a million or two smaller size leaves. I tried blowing them to strengthen the fire, but that sent a lot of ash into the air and aggravated the next door neighbor. So I couldn't continue using much air. I might deal with wet leaves in a field or wooded area again one day, but not a neighborhood. Live and learn boys. That's the best way to learn
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[Smallaxe]

Tell the h.o. to turn the pile in the Spring and they might have compost by next Fall...

 

[redmax fan]

ive never ran a rototiller but thought struck me could wet leaves be rototilled into the ground

maybe use a high wheeled trimmer first to chew em up a little

afterward broadcast somethin over them to speed up decomposition process

 

[biodale]

You can't burn "wet". Water puts out flames. I say again can't burn wet. You may char them some. You are taking on a lot of liability for a little coin.
Maybe you can spread them out a little and wait for them to dry. Get a propane burner from harbor freight that hooks to a 5lb propane bottle. You will have residue left to pick up. That is the best idea I have.
If your customer won't agree to wait until they dry, I would walk away from it.
Sincerely,
Biodale

 

[redmax fan]

take several 55gallon barrels with breathin holes poked in em and start big fires in em with logs . then heap the wwet leaves around barrels to dry them to the point they start burnin . use blowers to stoke the barrel flames

 

[Charles]

The pile e have left is about 2 Volkswagen and no big oak leaves... Just a million or two smaller size leaves. I tried blowing them to strengthen the fire, but that sent a lot of ash into the air and aggravated the next door neighbor. So I couldn't continue using much air. I might deal with wet leaves in a field or wooded area again one day, but not a neighborhood. Live and learn boys. That's the best way to learn
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Or take experienced Lawnsite members advice when we advised not to try and burn a customers leaves:waving:

 

[Kawizx62003]

Or take experienced Lawnsite members advice when we advised not to try and burn a customers leaves:waving:

I second that! I can't believe there are responses other than, "DON'T DO IT!"

 

[olajoe808]

A tarp, rake, and actual labor.....

Well, you ran your mouth... But didn't answer my question. Try again?
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You asked, "So....does anyone have some advice?"

I advised don't burn them. Instead, use a rake, a tarp, and actual labor.:hammerhead:

Well you have run your mouth twice now.. Thanks for nothing. To be accurate... I asked about how to burn wet leaves, and asked for that advice. But you know that, and you just want to be an *******. If you have nothing nice or constructive to say, just shut up next time. And for the record, there is no way to effectively remove the leaves from this site. WE tried pulling them out. Between the elevation change, the rocks, the trees, and the muddy soil.. We could not do this unless we charged an obscene amount of money. Our customer asked us to burn, we agreed. Now go troll your next victim
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Great stuff :drinkup:

 

[jonnyz37]

Lessons are best learned from personal experience. Just knowing the right answer is not as valuable as understanding why its the right answer. Not to mention the extra money I made and will continue to make this spring when we finish up that pile. I wouldn't turn the job down in hindsight... Sometime you need the money more than you need the right answer.
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[ArTurf]

Maybe the original question was never answered but lessons were learned. I would use the opportunity to figure out a better strategy for next year. I may do a PIA job once but suggest a better future plan for the customer. If they don't agree and the job is too PIA I may just pass on it in the future.

Maybe next year the leaves could be cleaned up and burned in intervals. Thus avoiding the wet situation. I pretty much only handle leaves on regular basis and not the "wait till they all fall clean up at the end of the year". Every situation is different with different solutions but repeating the same thing over is not a good thing.

 

[jonnyz37]

Yeah I agree... The homeowner and I have already discussed next year and have a different plan in place.
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