When's the best time to use a weed burner?

[chocccie]

Have burner, have weeds - when shall I blast them?  - erm, I mean carefully and safely apply the burner. 

Is now a good time, as their systems will be on full go .... or shall I wait until Autumn when they are starting to wilt.  It's mostly nettles that I want to get rid of (I have plenty for soups - both culinary and for garden use, the rest must go!)

[Pierre ZFP]

Will burning get rid of nettles? I'm thinking you would only scoarch the tops and the tough old roots would just grow again.  I'm wondering if the time could be right for a bit of napalm as my local shops seem to have lots of these burners at the mo' and very cheap.  I would like to give napalm a try as I don't like putting too much Agent Orange around if possible so do they work OK?

[powerdesal]

Forget napalm, use frantam its cheaper.

Dissolve polystyrene in petrol till you get a jelly mix, worked for the Rhodesians!!!!!!!

[Danny]

I have never used a burner thingy, sorry, but would agree that for nettles it won't keep them away for long. If at all possible pull them up, roots and all (all this rain is welcome at the moment when pulling up the blighters). If, however, the alternative is weedkiller then burning is way better in my opinion, and may well be the answer if you have too many of the things to pull up by hand. I would imagine that however close you leave it to summer tme though, you are still likely to have them regrow throughout the very dry weather, and then (around here anyway) you wouldn't be able to use the burner for fear of setting your whole garden alight and summoning the pompieres! I thought burners were normally used for lowish weeds on pathways, through gravel, etc, rather than for clearing overgrown areas. Strimming is a good option just to keep them at bay, and I would think the strimmer takes around the same amount of time, so maybe you could use that in the summer months?

Jane

[Gluestick]

We had awesome problems with nettles.

The only solution (which I didn't like too much and sought to resist!), was Glycophosphate Weedkiller.

For those concerned at possible health hazards: http://www.camd.lsu.edu/msds/r/roundup.htm

I buy it from Mr Bricolage and it's not expensive.

For those determined to go the Napalm route, diesel mixed with thick washing up liquid works well!

 

[Pierre ZFP]

I was only kidding about napalm [:-))]

But if you want to make smoke (without fire) mix bleach and brake fluid.....and stand well back  [Www]

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]

I was only kidding about napalm [:-))]

But if you want to make smoke (without fire) mix bleach and brake fluid.....and stand well back  [Www]

[/quote]

The mind boggles at how you discovered that one  [8-|]

[Gluestick]

Winding up les pompiers, peut-être ? [:D]

 

 

[Meg]

Salt is good for clearing nettles. Use a watering can and water the nettles with it (or sprinkle it on/around them).

[Framboise]

Sorry Choccie, I am inclined to agree that a burner will not get rid of nettles, no matter how satisfying it is to blast them!   I'm afraid it has to be a case of on your hands & knees with stout gloves on then wrench the blighters out of the ground, even then you need to get as much of the root run out as you can because they will re-sprout from a fragment of root left in the soil.  Why is it that the nuisance plants (the mauvaise herbes) are so darned tough nor give up the ghost when you damage them, yet the ones you want seem to keel over and die if they break a leaf?   Its not fair is it?

[Gluestick]

Which is why glycophosphate is so good. It is taken in via the leaf and, of course, with care, won't poison the soil immediately around.

 

[Pierre ZFP]

Yeah but it's so satisfying pulling up a long root run of nettles when the ground is soft - perhaps I should get out more [:(]

[M]

[:)] Daytime, I should think - it's hard to see the weeds in the dark!

M

[M]

[:)] Daytime, I should think - it's hard to see the weeds in the dark!

M