Burning Brussels!

[Protea]

No! - i don't mean the place where EU nonsense comes from (although that would be nice ) i mean Brussel sprout stalks!

I have left my brussels in the ground up at the plot, i didn't manage to eat any of them sadly as not only did the caterpillars have a go at them, the mealy cabbage aphids moved in next and all the buttons i picked were full of the little monsters

I need to clear them really in preparation for spring, Should i burn the stalks? and will they burn as they are 'green' and not dead? or can i compost them with the aphids still on? I didn't want to encourage anymore of them, but equally don't know what to do otherwise! I can't shred the stalks before adding to the compost so they'd be in rather large bits.

What do you do with your left over Brussels?

[Benacre]

They do burn but I would chop them up with an axe of even a saw. Bury them say, under your runner beans or put on the compost heap.
Full of nitrogen you know.

[rustylady]

You'll have to dry them out before they will burn - it is possible but it will take ages. You can compost them too, much better if chopped up - I keep a sharp knife in my bag just for this. If the stalks are really tough, I use a small folding pruning saw I got from one of the cheap shops - it works really well. You don't need to shred them (although if you have a shredder available this would be ideal).

[Nicos]

I have chucked mine into the green bin for the council to take!

[Two_Sheds]

It is much better for the environment (and your plot) if you compost rather than burn them. Anything will rot quicker if it's chopped into smaller pieces. But everything rots eventually, so don't sweat it.

[Protea]

Thanks. My biggest concern was not letting the aphids spread by composting them - but if you say its fine, then fab - i have some pruning loppers so can cut them up into bits with that.