[Origindol]

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone had any idea how effective flame weeding is on a one acre scale...........I am currently renting one acre and need to know how effective it is in respect to the cost and how well it kills the weeds...........I was looking at the x-300 model but its quite pricey so I don't wanna jump in if it too costly to run or if the results aren't good......My main use would be wet weather weeding as I find the old fashioned hoe effective enough when its dry

Cheers

Origindol

[Janeymiddlewife]

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/flameweedveg.pdf

lots of info here - 'fraid I just hand weed or hoe my plot - nowhere near an Acre though 

[Kristen]

Heat is not good for plants nearby, so I have never used mine "between rows" although it has a hood to keep flame / heat in.

I've only used mine on gravel paths (two passes: dessicate and then burn-off a few days alter) and to burn off dead tops after using weedkiller - particularly before rotavating as the long grass / bindweed etc. left by the weedkiller just wraps around the rotavator so burning off first prevents having to continuously de-tangle the tines.

[gillie]

Try hiring one to see how it goes.

We tried one on our gravel drive, but it was not very successful, and the gas cylinder was very heavy.

Gillie

[Kristen]

.. the gas cylinder was very heavy.

Ah ... mine is paraffin driven. (Have to pump it up to pressurise it, and fiddle around getting the "coil" (at the business end) hot enough to vapourise the paraffin, but after that it keeps going with a few pump-ups until the fuel runs out.

[Origindol]

Thank you all for the advice........I think the best idea might be to hire one and see if it what I need.

[Yorkie]

It won't kill the weed roots off.

Someone on our site used a flame gun three or four times last season on standard marestail and other perennial weeds (and this was on a tiny area, perhaps 5m squared).  The weeds kept coming back (and they set the lavender bush alight too    )

[hillfooter]

I bought a parafin feuled one a few years ago in a mistaken belief it would be greener than using weedkiller.  I've regretted it ever since,  It's quite a beast but costs a fortune to use.  I was shocked to find parafin costs almost as much as petrol to buy and this thing goes through about 5Lts in about 10 minutes.  Which is barely long enough to clear a 25 sq metre area of weeds.  To do an acre you'd need to have very deep pockets.  It would be cheaper to hire a Rolls Royce and drive over the weeds.

Anyone want to buy one hardy used flame thrower?

HF