GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

David Hill · 25-02-2013, 11:16 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 22/02/2013 20:33, Janet wrote:
In article ,
says...

Had a Eureka moment today to use one of those modern portable hand
steamers to kill weeds. Cant patent the idea as the yanks have already
thought of it!

Has anyone tried this and if so what is the success rate

Same as burning them off with a flame gun. One treatment will kill
small emerging seedlings weeds dead, but with perennial weeds it only
kills ths topgrowth not the roots. The roots of dandelions, nettles etc
will grow new leaves. If you steam/burn the regrowth often enough
eventually the roots will weaken and die.

Classic example was looking at a field of sheep that had an electric
fence put up. The underside is chemically sprayed regularly. The
unsprayed area (over the year) just has, pretty much, long grass. But
the area that has been sprayed has some really mean looking weeds
coming up! I mean like thick thistles etc. I had supscted this for
some time in our pwn garden. This confirms it.

More likely the weedkiller cleared competing plants creating an ideal
germination bed for windborn seeds
(like thistles).

Janet

I must admit that I know nothing of the steam cleaners that are around,
but steam has been used to sterilize soil for well over 3/4 of a century
ago.
I wonder is an industrial one could be adapted to use for soil
sterilization.