Propane Torch Weed Burner

kah22

A friend has been telling me about these propane weed killers, not the lance ones but a more heavy duty one.

After a quick search on Amazon they appear to be able to deal with a large area without the need for chemicals making them more environmentally friendly, yes?

Anyone on the board got one, what’s your opinion and what make do you have. Living in Northern Ireland Amazon won’t ship this item into the North that’s one of the reasons I’m after a name and model so as I might source locally

Thanks for any information you can offer

Kevin

twopenny

I don't have one but not sure how environmentally friendly. Insects and worms would come a cropper I'd have thought.
It's also a lot more expensive, more work than some other methods.
It won't stop the deeply rooted weeds like dandelions that can regrow from a fragment.
Do you have huge areas to cover and some specific weed in mind?
But it would be interesting to know how you find it if you get one.

greyteam1959

Probably about useless.
All they do is scorch or burn off the top growth.
The plants / weeds just grow back from the undamaged roots.

Farway

greyteam1959 said:

Probably about useless.
All they do is scorch or burn off the top growth.
The plants / weeds just grow back from the undamaged roots.

That is how they are intended to be used, kill off / wilt top growth and burn seeds first pass

wait for regrowth and repeat as required

Not intended to crisp everything to ash in one go

kah22

well I haven’t made up my mind yet. The area I need to cover is quite big, say two raised beds roughly 2 meters  7 meters, 12 mature trees that need cleaned up once or twice a year and other assorted areas like a patio and large driveway and several flower beds.  Also I have four cats that use my area as a hunting ground.

I do appreciate that the butane burner all it does is burn of the top leaves, there is a fancy name for it ‘ photo something or other,’ it effectively stops the sun getting through and after a number of burning that particular packs it’s bags and goes somewhere else.

Yes I do understand that weeds will return but surely that will happen even if you use Round Up or something like that and of course living in a rural part of the country I have my neighbours weeds to deal with ( and she has mine!.!) Of course the the crows, sparrows, Robins all contribute to the problem

There.is the cost factor as well, effective weed killers are not cheap and after buying the initial hardware your only other cost is the butane gas. Hopefully I’ve covered all the points raised 

Apodemus

If you want to go down the industrial weed burner route, then the best approach is the old-fashioned paraffin flame-thrower type.  You need to be really careful when using these, though, as the risks of a fire taking off are real.