I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for killing
weeds, and try scorching them instead.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?



Thanks

On Sat, 12 May 2007 17:35:47 GMT, "Jack S" wrote:

I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for killing
weeds, and try scorching them instead.

I've used one for this same thing. It was a home I owned and rented at
the time and I wanted fast way to kill weeds in a "rock" lawn.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?

If you already have a tank; just by the torch with regulator and
hose... cheaper.

It is HOT work in the desert here :-(

Thanks

--
Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...
I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for
killing weeds, and try scorching them instead.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?

They are surprisingly hard to burn, but it can be done. It will not however
kill the roots.
I would stick to herbicide.

On Sat, 12 May 2007 17:52:58 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

They are surprisingly hard to burn, but it can be done. It will not however
kill the roots. I would stick to herbicide.


I agree. Seems like some green weeds just boil; instead of burning
rapidly. The root kill is the best method.
--
Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

Jack S wrote:
I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for killing
weeds, and try scorching them instead.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?



Thanks

How about you sprinkle some Preen, or other pre-emergent preventer,
between the rocks before the weeds start to grow?

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Toller wrote:

They are surprisingly hard to burn, but it can be done. It will not however
kill the roots.

According to this, you just need to shrivel them, not actually burn them up.

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...t=2,2300,44822

Chris

On Sat, 12 May 2007 12:41:26 -0600, Chris Friesen
wrote:

Toller wrote:

They are surprisingly hard to burn, but it can be done. It will not however
kill the roots.

According to this, you just need to shrivel them, not actually burn them up.

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...t=2,2300,44822

Chris

I wish, I would have had my bride do that. :-))

We use a weed barrier fabric beneath rock in the desert and still have
superficial weeds pop up in the rocks. A torch has been good when I
needed or used one. They are not routine for me, as I don't own one.
--
Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

In article ,
Chris Friesen wrote:

Toller wrote:

They are surprisingly hard to burn, but it can be done. It will not however
kill the roots.

According to this, you just need to shrivel them, not actually burn them up.

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...t=2,2300,44822

Chris

I like the company Leevalley. I went with their advice to water the
target plants. I quick hit of heat with no smoke and moss was dead on
my brick patio in a few days. Boiled I guess ? I purchased to deice
our walk .

Have someone standby with a hose just in case as dry tinder seems to be
about these days.

Bill

--

S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.

"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...
I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for
killing weeds, and try scorching them instead.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?



Thanks


Maybe you need better herbicide. The torch works good, but so many more bad
things can happen when using flames.

Steve

Steve B wrote:

Maybe you need better herbicide. The torch works good, but so many more bad
things can happen when using flames.

Steve



So true! I know a person that set his fence on fire using one of those
things
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Gardening for over 40 years

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

[flup set to a.h.l.g.]

Steve B said:

"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...
I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for
killing weeds, and try scorching them instead.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?



Thanks


Maybe you need better herbicide.

Maybe they don't want to keep chancing that the herbicide will also affect
their plantings.

Maybe they just don't like storing and handling the extra chemicals.

Maybe it's a large area, and they just don't want to keep contaminating the
ground water, below.

Maybe.

The torch works good, but so many more bad
things can happen when using flames.

How many rocks can you name, that are flammable?

--

Eggs

In the 60's people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is
weird, people take prozac to make it normal.

"Eggs Zachtly" wrote in message
...
[flup set to a.h.l.g.]

Steve B said:

"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...
I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for
killing weeds, and try scorching them instead.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?



Thanks


Maybe you need better herbicide.

Maybe they don't want to keep chancing that the herbicide will also affect
their plantings.

Maybe they just don't like storing and handling the extra chemicals.

Maybe it's a large area, and they just don't want to keep contaminating
the
ground water, below.

Maybe.

The torch works good, but so many more bad
things can happen when using flames.

How many rocks can you name, that are flammable?

--

Eggs

In the 60's people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is
weird, people take prozac to make it normal.

It's really a simple thing. No need to make so many guesses. Just get a
flame thrower and give it a whirl. What's the worst that could happen using
a device that can melt steel and then some? (2500F) A little fire? Some
nasty burns? The OP asked for opinions. I am sorry that by stating mine, I
made you so angry.

Steve

"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...
I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for
killing weeds, and try scorching them instead.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?



Thanks


Guessing that's about the temperature the bonfire 2 years ago burned at its
height of heat. Cutoff lumber from the builder, juniper ashe, a little live
oak. All dried for about 2 months first. Pile was over 10 feet high, 30
foot around, teepee fashion. Fire laughed at the garden hose at its height.
Absolutely nothing grew there for a full year. Put a raised bed garden over
the site.

There was nothing within 50 feet that was a potential for burning, no wind,
overcast, drizzly off and on that day. Watered down the area around the
fuel dump anyway, prior to lighting off. Aluminum cans, and glass bottles
were melted flat. Some steel in some nails melted. Used magnetic pickup
tool to get all the steel remaining afterwards.

You don't have enough propane to do that. Plus, the roots are hiding under
rocks instead of flat ground.

Something that will work for a a year or two is used motor oil. But, weeds
will come back with vengeance. It won't kill them entirely. But, its no
worse than the chemicals and consequential runoff from herbicides that you
have to pay additional money for.

Google "Barton Springs" and "herbicide"

Dave

On May 12, 1:35 pm, "Jack S" wrote:
I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for killing
weeds, and try scorching them instead.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?

Thanks

I have used ordinary vinegar in a plastic watering can
http://raised-garden-bed.com/chapt2.html prior to burning and have had
no weeds return.

Johnny

Steve B said:

"Eggs Zachtly" wrote in message
...
[flup set to a.h.l.g.]

Steve B said:

"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...
I've got a rock "lawn" and I would like to quit using herbicide for
killing weeds, and try scorching them instead.

There are a lot of weed / roofing torches on ebay and I was wondering if
there is anything to choose for or against in buying one. The one I'm
leaning toward getting says: "3000+ Fahrenheit" - that's enough, right?



Thanks


Maybe you need better herbicide.

Maybe they don't want to keep chancing that the herbicide will also affect
their plantings.

Maybe they just don't like storing and handling the extra chemicals.

Maybe it's a large area, and they just don't want to keep contaminating
the
ground water, below.

Maybe.

The torch works good, but so many more bad
things can happen when using flames.

How many rocks can you name, that are flammable?


[effed up OE quoting snipped]

It's really a simple thing. No need to make so many guesses.

They weren't guesses. I was being facetious. You apparently didn't read the
OP's post very well.

Just get a flame thrower and give it a whirl.

Now we're going to get out a 'flame thrower'? I thought they only wanted to
use a propane torch on some weeds, not remove some jungle. There's a bit of
a difference, you know.

What's the worst that could happen using
a device that can melt steel and then some? (2500F)

In order to 'melt steel' with a propane torch, you'd have to keep it in one
place, with the flame feathered properly, and positioned in the optimum
place, for quite some time. Much longer than it would take to kill a weed,
which is what the OP wanted it for.

A little fire?

From a rock? Again, tell me a rock that's going to burn, in the amount of
time that it kills a weed.

Some nasty burns?

Your chances of poisoning or burning by a 'better herbicide' are far
greater than that of burning yourself with a propane torch with a spreader
on it. And, with a spreader on a torch, you've little chance of melting
steel, btw.

The OP asked for opinions. I am sorry that by stating mine,
I made you so angry.


ROFL nothing you say could possibly make me angry. Your reply was quite a
source of amusement, trust me. The OP didn't ask for your opinion about
their choice of herbicides. They stated that they wanted to get away from
herbicides. You tell them get a better one. I called you on it, simple as
that.

Propane torches are safe for use on weeds in rocks. Where I work, there's a
lot of brick, concrete, and flagstone. A torch makes quick work of any
weeds that germinate in the cracks. You only need to wilt them, not hold
the torch on them until nothing is left. Do a bit of homework before
spewing drivel, next time, please. And, I'll add to please read the post
you're replying to, a bit more closely, in the future. Thanks.

--

Eggs

In the 60's people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is
weird, people take prozac to make it normal.