Flame throwers
norma3
Posts: 1
We don't like to use weed killer but are fighting a losing battle with weeds in some areas of our garden. I've seen the article in this month's Gardeners' World magazine of Monty using a flame thrower to clear weeds. If there are any users out there, do they successfully kill plants like dandelions with deep tap roots and ground elder?
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I have a large ancient device that terrifies me but it is very effective on driveway weeds. I've never used it on weeds in the garden.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Too scary for me, I'd be sure to burn up the garden ………..
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If you are to use paraffin it will cost a fortune and not very efficient except on tinder dry weeds, I know as I had the lend of one last year!
Get out the chemicals, much more efficient and not incinerating every thing in the weeds!
Especially as there are safe chemicals you can use, if that is your wish. Otherwise, as the ground is nice and wet now, a decent hoe with the sun on your back is quite therapeutic.
The gas type flame guns are very effective, but only really useful on hard surfaces or where there are no desirable plants. I use ours on weeds which seed around as the heat kills off the seeds even if the plant survives.
You really need to go over them twice too. Day one dries out the tops and then Day 2 burns o f the dried remains. They do kill off Dandelions though.
Never managed to set fire to anything except the incinerator with mine.
I use a Sheen paraffin burner which is heavy of fuel and the back! You need to run over the fresh weeds then leave for a few days till they go yellow and repeat the process. They do kill dandelions ground elder etc, but as soon and you rotovate the soil you chop the roots and the battle starts again. You are better of using chemical weedkiller.
I have found the best results using mine is on an overgrown allotment. Give it the "Agent Orange" treatment then leave for a couple of weeks then attack it with the flame gun, but keep a watering can handy. I have the heat shield which is meant to protect adjacent plants, but the heat ferocious so there is some damage. I had planned to use it to keep the rows clear from weeds in my veg plot, but you'd need 2 feet between each row.
One positive is that its great for clearing ice and snow from the path!