I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for killing weeds, and try scorching them instead.
There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?
Thanks
I've used one for this same thing. It was a home I owned and rented at the time and I wanted fast way to kill weeds in a "rock" lawn.
If you already have a tank; just by the torch with regulator and hose... cheaper.
It is HOT work in the desert here :-(
-- Oren
"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"
They are surprisingly hard to burn, but it can be done. It will not however kill the roots. I would stick to herbicide.
3000F? That's more than crematoriums use to burn a human corpse to ash. I would expect something less than 1000F would kill your weeds with no problems.
George
I agree. Seems like some green weeds just boil; instead of burning rapidly. The root kill is the best method.
-- Oren
"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"
How about you sprinkle some Preen, or other pre-emergent preventer, between the rocks before the weeds start to grow?
According to this, you just need to shrivel them, not actually burn them up.
I wish, I would have had my bride do that. :-))
We use a weed barrier fabric beneath rock in the desert and still have superficial weeds pop up in the rocks. A torch has been good when I needed or used one. They are not routine for me, as I don't own one.
-- Oren
"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"
I like the company Leevalley. I went with their advice to water the target plants. I quick hit of heat with no smoke and moss was dead on my brick patio in a few days. Boiled I guess ? I purchased to deice our walk .
Have someone standby with a hose just in case as dry tinder seems to be about these days.
Bill
Maybe you need better herbicide. The torch works good, but so many more bad things can happen when using flames.
Steve
So true! I know a person that set his fence on fire using one of those things
Maybe they don't want to keep chancing that the herbicide will also affect their plantings.
Maybe they just don't like storing and handling the extra chemicals.
Maybe it's a large area, and they just don't want to keep contaminating the ground water, below.
Maybe.
How many rocks can you name, that are flammable?
Guessing that's about the temperature the bonfire 2 years ago burned at its height of heat. Cutoff lumber from the builder, juniper ashe, a little live oak. All dried for about 2 months first. Pile was over 10 feet high, 30 foot around, teepee fashion. Fire laughed at the garden hose at its height. Absolutely nothing grew there for a full year. Put a raised bed garden over the site.
There was nothing within 50 feet that was a potential for burning, no wind, overcast, drizzly off and on that day. Watered down the area around the fuel dump anyway, prior to lighting off. Aluminum cans, and glass bottles were melted flat. Some steel in some nails melted. Used magnetic pickup tool to get all the steel remaining afterwards.
You don't have enough propane to do that. Plus, the roots are hiding under rocks instead of flat ground.
Something that will work for a a year or two is used motor oil. But, weeds will come back with vengeance. It won't kill them entirely. But, its no worse than the chemicals and consequential runoff from herbicides that you have to pay additional money for.
Google "Barton Springs" and "herbicide"
Dave
I have used ordinary vinegar in a plastic watering can
Johnny
Went to the feed store in town today. Clerk recommended 20% acid vinegar. She warned it only lasts about 2 months. Then the weeds come back again.
Vinegar in grocery store is typically 5% acid. Dave
Sounds a bit like my annual event. Here's the before-and-after from the 2005 one (the most impressive to date:
Before:
This years was a little less impressive, but only a little:
Used motor oil is a LOT worse than an EPA approved herbicide like Roundup. You need to recycle the stuff carefully, not spread it around in the environment.
Salt. If you are in a dry climate, one application will sterilize the soil for years.
Don't cornfuse them with facts and stuff.
Boiling water works suprisingly well.
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