WEEDS....Anyone torch 'em?

I have a great number of rocks which I use
to line garden beds, walkways, etc.

Not one to spend the summer spraying
chemicals about the gardens, I was trying
to come up with other weed prevention
ideas besides moving the rocks, digging
the weeds and putting the rocks back.

I seem to recall seeing a stick of some sort
which torches the weeds, literally burns them
to death. Does anyone know of which I speak,
or have experience with such a tool?

Many thanks,
Karen Marie

There is one advertised in my outdoor magazine that came in the mail yesterday. I have never used one, but I have also wondered how they would work on invasive tree saplings.

I found a few:

http://www.yardener.com/FlamingWeedTools.html

But look at this one, now THIS is right up my alley!

http://www.flameengineering.com/Weed_Dragon.html

I've seen a few in catalogs, and I remember someone over on the Garden Products forum raving about theirs last year. Personally I wouldn't even consider them because of the fire danger out here in the summertime, but in a different climate I can see that they might be an effective tool.

Too much fire risk here, except right after a good rain. The really stubborn perennial weeds here are set back by fire but usually resprout from the roots with no trouble, but then again this is one of those places where fire is a natural part of the ecosystem: native plants, even native weeds, are the least damaged by fire. It seems to set back the introduced weeds more.

It may be just the thing for your situation, but not for mine.

Mark.

Here's a thread about the flame thrower....I bought one; can't use it past May or early June, but I'll be frying those baby blackberries with great zest all spring! It's also been a big help in lighting up the endless brush piles.

I was thinking of torching the nasty grass that grows between the rocks
out front. Of course I would be watering afterwards, I'm a big chicken when
it comes to the thought of starting a fire.

Some idiot tossed a cigarette out the window today and caused a big
patch of land to be torched on the highway. What is the matter with
people? If they don't have an ashtray in the car, they shouldn't be smoking.
Another subject, I digress.

Anyhow. Yeah, I would like to at least get started on the weeds. Too much
to do to spend time pulling and yanking weeds. I think I'll check out the
cheap version at Harbor Freight next time we go.

:-) KM

I've got the WeedDragon from the second link posted by WUVIE. I purchased it because somebody here recommended it. I'm very happy with it and it comes with a hand cart for the tank so you don't need to lug it around.