Has anyone got any views,comments or advice re: Weed burners??
Cheers janmac
Hiya Janmac
I did have one once - and apart from being terrified by it!!! I found that you can burn off the top but things with tap roots will grow again ie. dandelions and docks. So - to me - a waste of effort as you will have weeds straight away after you finish. The kill weed seeds that are sitting on the surface but if you turn over the earth you have millions more in the earth waiting for a bit of light and air!
So I wouldn't bother - but you will no doubt have others thinking they are the best thing since sliced bread!
Old Bird
I use an old Sheen X100 Flame Gun, which I bought in 1957. It runs on Paraffin/Heating oil and produces a flame of 2000 deg. It has 3 main uses:-
(a) Cleaning the weeds off the drive and paths
(b) Sterilising the soil surface of the potato bed after I have cut down blighted potato haulm - this prevents any risk of blight spores being washed through the soil to the crop in very wet weather
(c) Its the best method yet of starting a bonfire.
I have also on occasion used it (with a home -made forge) for minor welding and brazing jobs
When used for clearing weeds it is only necessary to run the Gun lightly across the weeds, which causes the cell walls of the weed to rupture and explode. Don`t try to burn the weeds away then, but leave them for a few days to wither and dry, then (if you wish) you can burn them off quickly and easily .
It used to be tremendous fun to use after dosing the weeds with Sodium Chlorate, but, sadly, no more.