Fireworks bring a sparkle to November with many of us choosing to celebrate Bonfire night from the comfort of our own homes. Whilst most of us love the colour and noise that light up the sky we do not love the aftermath in the garden.
Fireworks are a reminder of the gunpowder that Guy Fawkes hid in the houses of parliament, whilst they may be pretty on the outside they contain a mixture of weird stuff on the inside such as Charcoal, sulphur, and saltpeter (an old name for potassium nitrate) as well as additional substances to create the bright light when heated. So, don’t be surprised if you find marks on your lawn following Bonfire night.
If you are planning on holding a firework party in your garden you may wish to consider some of the following points which will help to reduce damage to your lawn:
- Consider investing in a fire pit or brazier instead of building a bonfire directly on your lawn
- If lighting rockets don’t stick them directly into the lawn, use a bucket or container filled with sand or soft earth, this will ensure no scorch marks are left on the lawn when your rockets launch
- Use a board or other non-flammable rigid base for flat-bottomed fireworks, it is not only safer but again reduces scorch marks on the lawn
- Choose fireworks that cause less damage and less litter, a simple Catherine Wheel firmly attached to a stake or fencepost can be just as effective and entertaining.
- Whilst sparklers are very pretty they too can scorch lawns and litter the garden – keep a bucket of water to hand to safely dispose of spent sparklers. (Did you know that if three sparklers burn together they will do so at the same heat as a blowtorch used for joining metal)
Bonfire night can be one of the most exciting events of the year, but it is important that safety precautions are followed at all times to ensure that no unwanted accidents occurred. Some great safety advice can be found www.bonfire-night-safety.co.uk
Have a great bonfire night!
