Weeding is fun!
I'm looking over the array of carefully selected seed varieties that are promising a bountiful crop of vegetables, flowers & herbs in the coming growing season. Then I survey the garden beds. Winter weeds have taken over the garden, crept in right under our noses, or Roses as it were :-). So much work to be done before the fun of planting can begin!
Wouldn't it be great if your could just erase the old leftover plants from last fall, the grasses and vines along the fence line, dandelions and thistles that have stealthily increased in population, those prickly berry canes that try to sneak into your garden? Make it a clean slate, so to speak.
That can be a daunting task though, and backbreaking work to prepare the garden. You want to focus on the growth of spring, not laboring to clear the past! (Especially if you let things slide a little in the fall ;-)) It's tempting to resort to “easy” chemicals to knock back the spring weeds, or use pre-emergents...but are they really as safe as we've been led to believe? And what is the long term effect on your garden, soil, and your food?
The intense heat of the propane flame destroys the cell structure of living plants,causing them to wither and die within a day or so. While it doesn't immediately kill the deep roots of perennial weeds, repeatedly knocking back the top growth will eventually exhaust the plant. Additionally, weed seeds and overwintering pests and their eggs are killed by the heat and cannot become resistant to this form of control. Flame weeding takes the power of heat, and uses it in a controlled and efficient manner.
And you know what? It's fun! (shhhhh!)
First I can clean up the gravel driveway of any weeds that have popped up since last fall.
Then attend to the mulched areas around the ornamental and fruit trees and bushes.
I no longer waste string line when trimming the grass and weeds along the stone walls, patio or walkways. A clean sweep with the flame weeder is all that's needed. Fence lines are another chore to look forward to..... Well, it's true if you're flame weeding! Then clean up the veggie garden, turning last year's leftovers into soil building ash and bio-char. And, at the end of a chilly spring day, light a fire for marshmallows with the kids.
Now string trimmers do have their place. There are times when a weed whacker is a wiser choice than a weeding torch. If you are working near highly combustible materials like pine needles, around plants like Poison Ivy or certain evergreens, or under very dry, windy conditions.
(You might consider converting your motorized 4 cycle trimmer to a low polluting, low emissions fuel: propane.
Find out more about converting your small engine equipment, including lawn and garden equipment, generators, and more to propane:
click here.)
Just call me the Hank Hill of gardening!
Red Dragon Flame Weeders are made with pride in the USA .
