Five Uses for An Outdoor Fire Pit
If you’re a homeowner that loves making use of your outdoor space, you’ve probably considered the prospect of installing a fire pit - sitting around a roaring fire while the sun goes down certainly conjures up images of warm summer nights.
Investing in a fire pit for your garden has plenty of benefits. For one, it encourages the whole family to spend more time socialising outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. Moreover, real estate professionals often cite outdoor fire pits as a sought-after feature that raises a property value when it comes time to sell!
When most of us think about domestic fire pits, you likely think of nothing more than recreating the experience of a campfire in your backyard. That certainly is one of the most common uses for a fire pit BUT unbeknown to most, fire pits have multiple uses.
So, if you are on the fence (or the fire) about getting yourself a fire pit, here are a few of the additional uses of a fire pit you may not have thought of before…
Pest Control
We all know that fire pits are a great feature for creating a social space. However, when it comes to being outdoors, mosquitos can be the type of unwelcome guests you’d rather get rid of. Although pest control is rarely something one associates with a fire pit, using it to burn herbs is a historical technique that can be used to keep these annoying bugs at bay. Thyme is known as being particularly good at warding off these unwanted visitors, so the next time you are sitting around the fire pit, throw a couple of thyme springs into the mix and watch the bothersome bugs buzz off.
For Cooking
There is nothing quite like a bit of outdoor dining, is there? Whether it is chicken, fish, veggies, or a steak, everything tastes better when cooked over wood or hot coals. And remember if you’ve got a fire pit, you won’t need to fork out for a barbecue too.
It may take a few attempts to master the art of cooking on your fire pit - but if you’ve ever done a bit of campfire cooking before you should be fine. Have faith in yourself!
A Source of Light and Heat
A good fire pit and knowing how to use it properly could also mean you can even start spending more time outdoors in the heart of winter. For example if you get to grips with the traditional fire building method such as the Swedish torch method, which involves stacking the wood vertically inside your fire. This arrangement allows the fire to burn downwards and outwards, which means you will get a more intense heat source. A long-burning fire pit can also be a great source of light that brightens up an outdoor space.
Create Ash Fertilizer To Help Your Garden Thrive
Once the fire burns out, and it comes time to clean out the pit, most people will think nothing of getting rid of all the ash into the rubbish. However, the ash from a fire pit has a bigger purpose in terms of fertilising the plants in your garden. In fact, it is probably better than most of the fertiliser products you get off the shelf. Full of potassium, wood ash from a fire pit can work wonders for plant health in terms of growth and resistance to drought.
A Lazy Man’s Camp Fire
We’ve already talked about how a fire pit is often used as a tool to recreate the vibe of being sat around a campfire. But have you ever thought about saving yourself the hassle of building a campfire on your next outdoor camping adventure? If you are a camping enthusiast, it might be a good idea to opt for a portable model when choosing a fire pit. Portable fire pits can remain outside in your garden, but they are built with travel in mind - they are lightweight, making them easier to transport. The advantage of using a portable fire pit as opposed to building your campfire is that it is always ready and you won’t be so depending on the weather and conditions of your camping spot.
In short, fire pits are a great feature for your back yard but not just because they encourage us to get outdoors and help boost your outdoor social space atmosphere.