Weed burner

[Grandma]

I'm thinking of getting one - can anyone tell me if they're any good, please?

[Grandma]

[little-weed]

Hi Grandma
I know my lidl is having some in on Monday £9.99 + £1.99 for the gas  and many more good offers on gardening equipment so I will be there at daybreak and hope to get a bargain I have not used them before but at that price It's worth a try

little-weed :0)

[Grandma]

Little-weed! That's what put the idea in my head too! Can't go wrong for a tenner, really! I think everyone at A4A is going to be at Lidl's tomorrow!  ;) Hope you pick up some bargains!

[Palustris]

They are useful in that they fry the seeds of the weeds, but they are a rather expensive way of weeding an area. When you need refills Wilkinson's do them as cheap as anywhere.

[tim]

Do so agree - best use is for the cracks in paving etc.

And DON'T try to crisp up the weeds - just wilt them.

[Grandma]

Thanks Eric and Tim. I really wanted it to attack the weeds - (mainly grass) - in paving cracks and where paths meet border-edgings. Hadn't thought about it killing the seeds but that's a big bonus with the grass.  :)

Just one more question, please. I don't have any lawned areas, just low-maintenance gravel/ pebbles/etc. Someone has told me not to use a weed burner there as some stones can actually 'explode' when heated!!!  :o What do you think?

[tim]

For the time that the flame is on them, I very much doubt it.

[Pumper]

They're really good for lighting the barby at arms length as well  ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Stones can certainly crack, I don't know about explode, if they're seriously heated. You're not talking about vapourising the weeds though, and if you applied that much heat you'd destroy your soil along with them. Just scorch them enough for them to die slowly from their burns.

[powerspade]

I use a parafine blow lamp its cheaper than gas

[Palustris]

But you have to bend down with a blow lamp!

[Grandma]

Well.........I got one! And I think it's wonderful! So easy to just walk along the path singeing everything and it made short work of the forest of wheat and oat seedlings that were growing in the gravel under my bird table!

And, yes, Eric - all done without any painful bending, kneeling or squatting.  :) Even if I'd used a whole gas canister - (which I didn't) - it would have been well worth the £1.99.

(Had to be a bit careful, though - everything is so dry here that each little weed instantly became a crackling mini-bonfire   :o. Just carried a little watering can in the other hand so no disasters!)

Great tool - would recommend highly.

[Lauren S]

Ha ha, Grandma, you ought to change your name to *Firebird* now.

;D  ;D  ;D

Lauren

[Larkshall]

I use a parafine blow lamp its cheaper than gas

I've got an old Sheen X300 in the shed, the pump packed up so I fitted a schraeder valve and pump it up with a footpump.