"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...
While we were on our daughter's farm last week we cleared her erstwhile
vegetable garden of perennial weed top growth by cutting by brush cutter
and secateurs.

There were nettles, dock, thistles, brambles, grass etc. - the usual
culprits.

Because of a miscarriage, bad pregnancy, a new baby, father's depression,
hospitalisation due to abdominal abscess and cancer and subsequent
treatment (a sorry story but it needs to be explained so that no-one
criticises for neglect) the plot has been unattended for two years. Before
then it was very productive and grew the best vegetables I've ever
tasted - especially parsnips.

We want to encourage a renewal of the cultivation so would like to provide
daughter with whatever means possible to rid the plot of the weeds and we
thought about the Weed Dragon. I realise that it would have to be used
several times to rid the new growth from the roots but if it isn't
suitable I'd like to know what other solutions people here can suggest.

I must add that this plot is on an organic farm, chemical control is not
an option. A cultivator would seem to us to be inefficient because it
would spread roots. but we're willing to be advised.

Mary

I had to Google to find out that the Weed dragon is a propane powered weed
wand type thing.
My own limited experience of these things is that they burn off the top
growth and leave the root to resprout. On the plus side they do kill off
seed.
I believe the big wheeled devices that run off paraffin are a lot more
effective and are available to hire.
I think it is Janet Baraclough who rides around on one of these things and
thoroughly recommends the flame thrower approach.