Topic: Weed destruction!

[Marko]

Hello all (long message sorry)

On the subject of weed killing. I have a plot on which the weeds (of many varieties) have consumed over half the allotment.  I have a plan to level and dispose of the piles of inherited rubbish, and then to cut back and cover the weeds and wait until next spring.....

However, I observed another plot holder at the weekend burning, with a gas bottle and flame torch the weeds, thickets, grass etc, will this work for all weeds (perennials etc), as I can afford to empty the site and burn back if it kills these things *(I'll also rotavate, pick and cover with sheeting until spring).

Advice much appreciated, it's all looking unworkable!
Thanks

[Robert_Brenchley]

It'll kill them eventually, same as strimming will. One blast won't kill perennials though.

[Roy Bham UK]

Plus there are weed burners and flame guns, don't expect to clear your plot with a weed burner, they will only titivate your patio, flame guns do the biz but are expensive. :o ;D

[Melbourne12]

Marko, although I'm a flame gun fan, I don't think that flaming is the answer to the problem that you describe.  Flaming works best on broad leaved weeds, ideally when they're still quite small.  It doesn't work at all well on established grasses, and it's not really suitable for brambles and suchlike.

The ideal use for a flamegun is to keep a plot weedfree after it's been cleared, not to clear a jungle in the first place.

I think your best bet is to use weedkiller (assuming you're not trying to be organic), then dig out the couch grass layer and the deeper rooted stuff, then smother it with sheeting.  Take the sheeting off in winter to let the frost get to the soil, and put it back in early spring as weeds start to become active again.

I'd keep the flamer for when the sheeting is finally removed and the beds prepared, and kill the emerging weeds before planting the veg.