Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Equipment Shed => Topic started by: Dopey113 on July 09, 2012, 12:57

Title: Fire as a weed control??
Post by: Dopey113 on July 09, 2012, 12:57
Someone on the allotment site was talking about using some kind of flame thrower to kill all the weeds... duz this work? I know you cant go around a whole site and spray (well you can but it will probably kill what you grow as well) or is there other ways you can do this??
Title: Re: Fire as a weed control??
Post by: mumofstig on July 09, 2012, 13:02
Have a look here
http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/flame-weeder.html
Title: Re: Fire as a weed control??
Post by: arugula on July 09, 2012, 13:17
This kind of thing?

(http://www.tfmsuperstore.co.uk/image/cache/data/23098-228x228.jpg)

They get discussed quite regularly in gyo or equipment shed. Why not have a browse around some old threads. ;)
Title: Re: Fire as a weed control??
Post by: JayG on July 09, 2012, 13:31
I bought a "weed wand" on impulse from Lidl earlier this year. It was only about 12 quid but replacement gas canisters cost at least half that each and don't last very long.  :(

I wanted to burn off the grass growing between the cracks in a paved area - it grew back, as will perennial weeds with a tap root because it only burns off the top growth (would probably work OK on some of the shallow-rooted annual weeds though.)

Obviously the paraffin (parasene) burners pack a lot more punch, but I suspect still don't get to the root of the problem (literally) in many cases.
Title: Re: Fire as a weed control??
Post by: Dopey113 on July 09, 2012, 13:36
Im not buying one myself, a new member on out allotment has some dealings with the counsel and she was going to get them out to do it, so I was wondering how effective it was... the link was very informative
Title: Re: Fire as a weed control??
Post by: arugula on July 09, 2012, 13:47
Obviously the paraffin (parasene) burners pack a lot more punch, but I suspect still don't get to the root of the problem (literally) in many cases.

That's the one we have and I suspect you're right. Its handy for lighting the woodburner though.....
Title: Re: Fire as a weed control??
Post by: Gwiz on July 09, 2012, 16:25
Our company has one or two of those "Sheen" parrafin burners mounted on wheel sets for use in certain gardens in london. They are very effective, but somewhat costly to keep fed with fuel.
Title: Re: Fire as a weed control??
Post by: Plot74 on July 09, 2012, 23:21
It may tidy the plot up but the weeds come back I tried it earlier in the year.
John