[Aunt Sally]

Has anyone used a flame gun to weed between crops.  Is it safe ?  Does it work ?

[WG.]

Has anyone used a flame gun to weed between crops.  Is it safe ?  Does it work ?

Heck Auntie, if you delete threads by mistake, do you really think a flame gun is ideal for you?  

To reply, I haven't used one personally but they are used by agriculture so they must work.   One application is to sow and then burn off weed growth just before your seedlings emerge.

[muntjac]

you can pick em up cheap at auction sites usually sally and they are good  we use one to burn off  winter bracken on the farms  it comes up nice n fresh and then its nuked    use good parrafin tho  

[Aunt Sally]

I'm might give it a go but was a bit worried about my toes WG.

Do you just burn off the green bits or do you have to make the soil hot Munty  :?:

[muntjac]

the lot you will find that it really cooks them as well.  dont advise using them on concrete paths tho .to hot and the crete cracks and blows back at  ya  :shock:

[WG.]

I reckon they'd only be effective against annual weeds at seedling stage - perennials would just come back in a coupla weeks.

Using between rows would run the risk of scorching your wanted plants but I daresay they come complete with various guards.

Pre-emergence use seems to be the order of the day.  Remember you won't be able to see the flame when using it in daylight.

[Gwiz]

the idear is to hold the flame long enough to burst the weeds cells walls. this isnt a long time, just a second or so.
cant help thinking that itsnot the right tool for a wooden fairground doll.
you just know its gonna end in tears.....

[richyrich7]

I was given one years ago, big thing gave off a flame like a WWII flame thrower ! eventually I managed to get the flame down to a blue jet like on a blow torch worked a treat on annuals etc Like gwiz says you only need to wilt them just a few seconds. And make sure theres no dry matter about else like me not only will you clear your plot .....  :oops:  

[Bigbadfrankie]

You need to use a gaurd for the crop to sheild it because as Gwiz say's it only needs a few seconds. With the gaurd on its quite heavy and usually used with wheels. So go carefull but they are good we used them all the time many years ago. Might try to find one.

[Aidy]

got a burning question for ya's, looking at the little parasenne type ( little gas bottle ones) how long will the gas last approx, thinking of using them between crops but not the rows.

[Aunt Sally]

just a second or so.
cant help thinking that itsnot the right tool for a wooden fairground doll.
you just know its gonna end in tears.....

I wish you'd mentioned that earlier