Scientist’s blowtorch weedkiller backfires

From The Telegraph:

Robert Gailey, 79, watched in horror as sparks from a gas-powered garden tool caused the lawn and shrubs of his neighbours, Stuart and Phyliss McLean, to catch light. Read more.

Ouch:

weed wand gone wild

I’ve got a flame-weeder that I use very sparingly and gingerly. If you use one, all I can say is be very, very careful — especially around mulch and dead plant material.

The best — or rather safest — time to flame weed is during dead calm when there’s a heavy dew or soon after rain while vegetation is wet. The object is not to set the weeds on fire. It’s just to heat them enough to boil the water in their cells, bursting them. The plants turn a darker, perhaps bluer color. The tissue shouldn’t look charred when you’re done.

Anyone who flame-weeds should keep this story — and that image — in mind when they do.

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5 thoughts on “Scientist’s blowtorch weedkiller backfires”

  1. Amen to that. I do have a flame thrower and my inclination is to REALLY make sure the weeds will die, but this is good reminder.

  2. I have considered one of those flame weeders. But with my clumsiness, I would probably wind up in the paper like this unfortunate fellow. Like Kim, I think I’ll just stick to my boiling water.

    Robin
    Gardening Examiner

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