think about what a flame thrower does. It burns the cell of the plant. Heat travels so the burn goes down the root.

You can accomplish this with boiling water. I do this with weeds in any cracks in the sidewalk. I just put the tea kettle on and then pour it over the weed. Sometimes, with dandelions, it takes a couple of times.

Anonymous wrote:Just dig them out! Don’t poison our shared environment just to be lazy.

How is burning a weed poisoning the environment?

Just dig them out! Don’t poison our shared environment just to be lazy.

Anonymous wrote:I used one for a while, and it was quite the novelty. Lots of neighbors admired it and borrowed it. Yet, I went back to long acting herbicide for the sidewalk/driveway because the 'weed dragon' wasn't as effective. It might be better for something like a chain link fence but, as a PP noted, it's not a precision tool and I had to protect plants I didn't want torched.

Now, I use an herbicide and a hori hori knife.


https://www.amazon.com/Red-Dragon-VT-2-23-000-BTU/dp/B00004Z2FP/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=dragon+wand+torch&qid=1668433502&sr=8-9&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc

Hori hori knife
https://www.amazon.com/Hokuru-Hori-Knife-Landscaping-Sharpening/dp/B07WNDQVH2/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1JLLBY6ONOG8Y&keywords=hori+hori&qid=1668433667&sprefix=hori+hori%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-7

I had a fantasy of how effective it would be. I imagined that the weeds would disintegrate under the intense flame. Rather, it damages the plant, which then dies over the next few days. It can be situationally effective, but it's definitely not the miraculous cure-all I had imagined.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone use a propane flame thrower for weeds? People are against spraying, so how about torching? How effective is it? After torching weeds, say between cracks in a patio or driveway, how long will they stay away for?

I've done it. It's really fun . they still came back though.

I used one for a while, and it was quite the novelty. Lots of neighbors admired it and borrowed it. Yet, I went back to long acting herbicide for the sidewalk/driveway because the 'weed dragon' wasn't as effective. It might be better for something like a chain link fence but, as a PP noted, it's not a precision tool and I had to protect plants I didn't want torched.

Now, I use an herbicide and a hori hori knife.


https://www.amazon.com/Red-Dragon-VT-2-23-000-BTU/dp/B00004Z2FP/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=dragon+wand+torch&qid=1668433502&sr=8-9&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc

Hori hori knife
https://www.amazon.com/Hokuru-Hori-Knife-Landscaping-Sharpening/dp/B07WNDQVH2/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1JLLBY6ONOG8Y&keywords=hori+hori&qid=1668433667&sprefix=hori+hori%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-7

Anonymous wrote:Anyone use a propane flame thrower for weeds? People are against spraying, so how about torching? How effective is it? After torching weeds, say between cracks in a patio or driveway, how long will they stay away for?

Yes, I use one. Bought it at Harbor Freight Tools.

Works pretty well, but it’s NOT a precision instrument. You’ll have some collateral damage in other plants close-by the area being burned, so if that’s a concern, don’t use it.

I use it for weeds in the sidewalk joints and for scorching down the flower beds at the end of the season. Spray with water afterwards, then re-mulch the next day. Much easier and faster than pulling all the old dying plants out. I just mow over them, then burn off anything still sticking up or green.

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor growing up dead husband was in WWII and she was selling stuff. Around 1975 I bought a flamethrower off her from WWII you actually had a gallon of gasoline attached and had a long wand type nozzle. Would shoot a huge flame.

I used it in our gravel driveway and also used it when Ice on sidewalk. My mom made me get rid of it.

I could do a 40 foot sidewalk full of thick ice with it. Also could have used it to light tanks on fire and German sniper nests.

cool

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor growing up dead husband was in WWII and she was selling stuff. Around 1975 I bought a flamethrower off her from WWII you actually had a gallon of gasoline attached and had a long wand type nozzle. Would shoot a huge flame.

I used it in our gravel driveway and also used it when Ice on sidewalk. My mom made me get rid of it.

I could do a 40 foot sidewalk full of thick ice with it. Also could have used it to light tanks on fire and German sniper nests.

Ugh. Moms and their hyper-cautious ways!

Depends on where you live. I live in Southern Oklahoma, and you want to avoid flames out here. You could burn the whole town down by using a flamethrower on your yard.