weedkilling with propane

Has anyone discovered an effective flame weed killing kit for large areas/paths? Weed wand things too tiny to be worth bothering with.

Or other non chemical path weed control?

Tags: flame, guns, kill, wands, weed

Views: 667

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Paul McNulty on June 5, 2012 at 12:48

I've got a propane weed burner, the same thing as roofers use for melting bitumen I think. It was about £100 and it's pretty useless really. I tried the Sheen paraffin burner, but that was a bit lethal on anything other than really large areas.

Permalink Reply by John on June 5, 2012 at 12:50

 Here is the sheen parafin burner, it works but care is needed.

There is a trolley with an attached hood to control the flame but

it works out fairly expensive.

 http://www.mowermagic.co.uk/acatalog/SHEEN_X-300_Flame_Weeder.html

Permalink Reply by Anne Wareham on June 5, 2012 at 13:07

Hmm....John www.acegardenservices.co.uk - thanks both. Doesn't sound terribly encouraging... lethal and expensive.... is everyone using chemical control I wonder?

Paul McNulty said:

I've got a propane weed burner, the same thing as roofers use for melting bitumen I think. It was about £100 and it's pretty useless really. I tried the Sheen paraffin burner, but that was a bit lethal on anything other than really large areas.


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Brian www.mibservices.co.uk on June 5, 2012 at 13:14
Dont waste your time and money, just spray it, if you dont have your licence to spray, sub in a company who can. Trying to burn weeds is as useless as strimming them out, they will only grow back with in a few days, get them glypho'd. Job done.
Permalink Reply by Anne Wareham on June 5, 2012 at 13:19

Our problem is a great deal of box hedging -  have been advised that glysophate will cause damage to their spreading roots (box roots go very sideways) and I'd say we've seen evidence of that. But thanks for responding..

www.mibservices.co.uk said:

Dont waste your time and money, just spray it, if you dont have your licence to spray, sub in a company who can. Trying to burn weeds is as useless as strimming them out, they will only grow back with in a few days, get them glypho'd. Job done.

PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gary RK on June 5, 2012 at 13:30

We have exactly the same issue at site - a low, formal box hedge bounding a gravel path that we spray with Glypho. We carry a couple of sheets of 8*4 Cordex sheeting in the vans (light wt, protective cell sheets used for many jobs (ie protecting doors, glass etc). We use it and let it 'fold over' the top of the hedge and spray medium/coarse knozzle in minimal wind to ensure no drift. We just keep sliding the sheet along. Also can be used to cover grass adjacent to paths.

Glypho has no residual effect and only locks into green matter. It is inactivated quickly and binds when it hits soil and does not leach.

We also have a Sheen burner with hood & trolley. Good for open grounds, paving kerbs etc (great fun and sounds like a jet engine...:-). Royal PITA near anything green and valuable. Also a point to remeber if you are using it commercial, most liability insurance policies DO NOT cover using "flames" or heat guns etc as part of standard cover - ie if you set fire to a garden, property etc its down to you. To upgrade libaility cover is expensive as you become classed as a high risk business.

 

Description: "

The active ingredient of Gallup Biograde Amenity is glyphosate which kills weeds by blocking the plant's enzymatic system. As this system is only found in plants and not found in humans, animals, birds or fish, the herbicidal activity is very specific – and effective as a weed killer. Following treatment leaf symptoms on treated plants are a reddening then yellowing of the foliage.

Gallup Biograde Amenity is very flexible as it can be used at anytime of year, especially when growth is active and the leaves are well developed to take up the herbicide. The formulation ensures the herbicide is readily absorbed through the leaf cuticle and is able to circulate throughout the plant and right down to the roots. As a result not just the foliage but the whole of the weed is killed.

Gallup Biograde Amenity weed killer is absorbed easily onto the soil particles so does not leach and is also broken down by the soil bacteria into harmless natural substances"


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Brian www.mibservices.co.uk on June 5, 2012 at 13:35
Glypho shouldnt be doing the damage via the roots, its designed to translocate through green leaf and be inert upon contact with soil. Are the roots showing through on top of the soil ? If so that will possibly be the reason for the damage or weak growth. I would say you are more likely to do more damage using a flame blower near them than good spraying
Permalink Reply by Anne Wareham on June 5, 2012 at 14:18

There does appear to be some soil effect, but perhaps not damaging to nearby plants (https://portal.mtt.fi/portal/page/portal/mtt_en/mtt/news/pressrelea...) - your drift precautions may be the critical thing to observe..

The thing is the way that research like the above pops up contradicting all we have been told to reassure us: seems to happen over and over.

 Still, there doesn't seem to be a viable alternative at the moment - thanks for all this helpful advice, as ever. XXXXXX
Gary @ 360 Landscaping said:

We have exactly the same issue at site - a low, formal box hedge bounding a gravel path that we spray with Glypho. We carry a couple of sheets of 8*4 Cordex sheeting in the vans (light wt, protective cell sheets used for many jobs (ie protecting doors, glass etc). We use it and let it 'fold over' the top of the hedge and spray medium/coarse knozzle in minimal wind to ensure no drift. We just keep sliding the sheet along. Also can be used to cover grass adjacent to paths.

Glypho has no residual effect and only locks into green matter. It is inactivated quickly and binds when it hits soil and does not leach.

We also have a Sheen burner with hood & trolley. Good for open grounds, paving kerbs etc (great fun and sounds like a jet engine...:-). Royal PITA near anything green and valuable. Also a point to remeber if you are using it commercial, most liability insurance policies DO NOT cover using "flames" or heat guns etc as part of standard cover - ie if you set fire to a garden, property etc its down to you. To upgrade libaility cover is expensive as you become classed as a high risk business.

 

Description: "

The active ingredient of Gallup Biograde Amenity is glyphosate which kills weeds by blocking the plant's enzymatic system. As this system is only found in plants and not found in humans, animals, birds or fish, the herbicidal activity is very specific – and effective as a weed killer. Following treatment leaf symptoms on treated plants are a reddening then yellowing of the foliage.

Gallup Biograde Amenity is very flexible as it can be used at anytime of year, especially when growth is active and the leaves are well developed to take up the herbicide. The formulation ensures the herbicide is readily absorbed through the leaf cuticle and is able to circulate throughout the plant and right down to the roots. As a result not just the foliage but the whole of the weed is killed.

Gallup Biograde Amenity weed killer is absorbed easily onto the soil particles so does not leach and is also broken down by the soil bacteria into harmless natural substances"

Permalink Reply by Anne Wareham on June 5, 2012 at 14:27

No - we have box blight so are anxious to do all we can to not add stress to the plants. Think you are right though re possible root damage through heat..

www.mibservices.co.uk said:

Glypho shouldnt be doing the damage via the roots, its designed to translocate through green leaf and be inert upon contact with soil. Are the roots showing through on top of the soil ? If so that will possibly be the reason for the damage or weak growth. I would say you are more likely to do more damage using a flame blower near them than good spraying

PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Phil Voice on June 5, 2012 at 15:01

Hi Anne

Have you thought about using steam?

Permalink Reply by Anne Wareham on June 5, 2012 at 15:10

Not quite a domestic proposition?! XXX


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gary RK on June 5, 2012 at 16:15

I'm sure there is a contradictory view on most aspects of the work we perform, but we just get on and do it according to best practice and have not seen problem in 3-4years.

It's the "rabbit in the headlight" syndrone and my concern is that if we all stopped doing everything because of some 'independant' report we would get nothing done.

I call it the Daily Mail effect - apparently most of what we use/digest will kill us if you believe the 'News' :-)

Anne Wareham said:

There does appear to be some soil effect, but perhaps not damaging to nearby plants (https://portal.mtt.fi/portal/page/portal/mtt_en/mtt/news/pressrelea...) - your drift precautions may be the critical thing to observe..

The thing is the way that research like the above pops up contradicting all we have been told to reassure us: seems to happen over and over.

 Still, there doesn't seem to be a viable alternative at the moment - thanks for all this helpful advice, as ever. XXXXXX

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

What's hot this week? 

1 I'm going to be a dad again.

I'm going to be a dad again.
2 Why do we under-sell ourselves?

Why do we under-sell ourselves?
3 What is the 'low price' point for domestic equipment?

What is the 'low price' point for domestic equipment?
4 Theft Warning of tools, plant & equipment....

Theft Warning of tools, plant & equipment....
5 Raise the horticulture minimum wage for the sake of the industry and its practitioners

Raise the horticulture minimum wage for the sake of the industry and its practitioners

© 2013   Landscape Juice ® Limited - Registered in England 08356644

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service