Sheen X300 flame gun (not a brand new one)

[tabbycat]

This was bought for me by my husband, but I'm not really sure that I am going to use it.

He bought it on E-bay. The e-bay ad showed a picture of it in working order with a jet of flame. I have NOT used it myself.

He paid £80

Is anyone interested in it for the same amount. Will do postage for free.

Cheers,

Tabbycat

[Busby]

Throw it away tabbycat - please. These are disgusting things and don't belong in the hands of anyone who wants to be a gardener.
They kill all insects in the ground, including those which the earth really needs.
Should be banned.

[Roy Bham UK]

Strange  I've heard them described as being an organic way of destroying weeds Your not suggesting that I should throw away my tiller as it chops up worms I hope.

[tabbycat]

Regardless of the for and against arguments of using or not using them, I can't afford to throw away that kind of money. That's a whole month's food shopping or petrol budget.

It was bought by my non-gardening OH. He heard me moaning about the weeds and how hard they were to keep on top of and he just thought he was helping.

 He's alreday upset that he's spent his hard earned money on something I won't use.

Throwing it away would really be rubbing salt into the wound!

Tabbycat

[Busby]

I'm pretty sure Roy  that there are many things pretending to be organic.

An apparatus for burning insects to death and destroying humus can hardly be one of them - organic can basically only mean 'natural', and the only way for me personally to keep my weeds down is to hoe regularly and pluck them out.

Weeds are nature's way of covering and so protecting exposed soil, we only call them weeds, nature would call them plants.

[supersprout]

It was bought by my non-gardening OH. He's alreday upset that he's spent his hard earned money on something I won't use.

Aww tabby, what about posting it on the ebuygumbay forum here? Woudl it re-sell it on eBay?
Your OH must be really considerate for thinking of you and your weeds and parting with hard earned cash, IMHO you are one lucky lady
Roy/Busby, I use a flame gun like this for weeds in gravel/paved parking areas and paths, but don't incinerate them - just one pass, and they go flop and die in a few days. Hand weeding/hoeing only on the plot - straw mulch

[Roy Bham UK]

Where do you draw the line? plants/weeds call them what you will are living until eaten or terminated, Busby I would be very interested to hear how you cope with pests in your garden as the organic methods I have heard about are just not working or are too time consuming for a busy house husband like me.

For what it is worth I would not swat a wasp or tread on an insect purposely, but I would terminate the life of a slug with a size 8 boot without a second thought and a pigeon comes a close second.

[djbrenton]

Size 10 are the minimum effective against pigeons.

[dandelion]

I'm pretty sure Roy  that there are many things pretending to be organic.

An apparatus for burning insects to death and destroying humus can hardly be one of them - organic can basically only mean 'natural', and the only way for me personally to keep my weeds down is to hoe regularly and pluck them out.

Weeds are nature's way of covering and so protecting exposed soil, we only call them weeds, nature would call them plants.

I thought naturally occuring fires and the ensuing regeneration could actually enhance biodiversity in certain habitats.

[djbrenton]

Used correctly, a flame wand probably causes less harm to insect life than hoeing. It also certainly doesn't destroy humus, in fact the potash resulting from correct use is beneficial.

There's a lot of misinformation about organic gardening and even more, a lot of people who don't know how flame guns should be used.

[baby_boo-bah]

What about on the sort of weeds that can be harmful?  I will be using a flame gun in the next few weeks on my plot as I have a lot of hogweed to get rid of which can be really nasty and this is the best method I can think of to get rid of it

[supersprout]

Used correctly, a flame wand probably causes less harm to insect life than hoeing. There's a lot of misinformation about organic gardening and even more, a lot of people who don't know how flame guns should be used.

OK DJ, can you give me the low down on correct use? I run the flame lightly over weeds and a few days later they wilt, then run it over the crispy weed remnants a few days later again to burn them off. Is this right?

[djbrenton]

Absolutely right. Far too many people think you try and burn the weed off first go, which would concentrate heat for too long on each spot, and would perhaps be harmful to the very top layer of soil etc. That sort of brief heat when used correctly doesn't harm humus, and whilst it will damage those insects who it contacts, isn't likely to harm worms which digging or hoeing can ( not that I'm against hoeing).

Let's face it, you can't really grow veg without any impact on wildlife, and overstating the damage caused by a flamegun is the sort of twaddle that gets people's backs up about those of us who garden organically.

[supersprout]

Whew, thank you DJ

[tabbycat]

[Your OH must be really considerate for thinking of you and your weeds and parting with hard earned cash, IMHO you are one lucky lady
Roy/Busby, I use a flame gun like this for weeds in gravel/paved parking areas and paths, but don't incinerate them - just one pass, and they go flop and die in a few days.

Thank's Supersprout - he is really lovely.

He got the idea from watching the landscape contractors at his construction sites use them on the weeds growing in car parks and stuff.

I'm not keen on using it as it's a bit too heavy for me to hold comfortably and I'm one of the most unco-ordinated, clumsy people in the world and would be bound to set fire to something - probably my own boots 

Tabbycat x

[Melbourne12]

.....
I'm not keen on using it as it's a bit too heavy for me to hold comfortably and I'm one of the most unco-ordinated, clumsy people in the world and would be bound to set fire to something - probably my own boots 
......

They aren't the most dainty things in the world, but once it's pumped up to pressure and lit (which can be a fiddle), a Sheen flame gun is actually quite well balanced and nice to use.  Ours has been nicknamed Puff the Magic Dragon, and is particularly helpful on the paths around the raised beds.

Really good also for keeping down the weeds on freshly prepared beds that are awaiting their seedlings.  And much cheaper to use than glyphosate weedkillers, plus a flamegun counts as "organic".

I'm sure that you could sell it again on eBay if it doesn't sell here, and cover your costs plus a bit if it's in good condition.

[ipt8]

Hi
Would you accept £50 including the postage? Recently had some expensive vet and car bills so I am afraid thats my best offer.
Ivor

ps: I bet all the people cribbing about use of such an item do not practice no dig gardening, or use lawn sand, or insectides of one form or another, then there are those slugs, I could go on and on.

[katynewbie]

Just back from hols, so skint If I had the money I would snap your hand off, flaming makes perfect sense ecologically

[peegee60]

 Hi,
    i am a new member of the site & would like to know if you have sold your flame gun , if not i would like to buy it  at your offer price of £80.         
     thankyou
               peegee60

[tabbycat]

Peegee60,

Have sent you a personal message about this.

Cheers,

Tabbycat