Flame weeders?

[Grumps]

Anybody use a flame weeder around the yard and sidewalks?

Had been spraying Round-up but have grandkids now.

[REW]

It works - sort of.

I have a weed burner and have used it a few times in the past, but round up is much easier and effective than a flame burner.

As long as folks stay away from the treated area for 24 hours, one should be good to go when using roundup.

[GWC]

I've used a flame thrower but the roots seem to survive somehow. I prefer to use straight vinegar on a hot day. Same in my garden just before planting. Sometimes it takes a couple of applications but it sure helps control the weeds..

[Lundy]

Yes Sir,
July 1969 Binh Duong just north of Saigon
1st Infantry Division

[rwl]

REW, where do the chemicals go after 24 hours?

[brigeton]

Seems like a good way to start a grass fire.

[Clairebear]

Roundup acts only on the leaves and woody parts of plants, and the instructions do not require it to be poured into the soil. Should the herbicide come into contact with the soil, over time it breaks down into harmless carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The exact time depends upon the amount and strength of the Roundup in the soil. According to Cornell University, it can take anywhere from one to 174 days for half the product to break down in the soil.

[rwl]

So Grumps keep your grand kids away for 2 days to almost a year after spraying, if the chemicals continue to go away at the same rate throughout their life.

Don't get me wrong, I spray, but I wouldn't trust at all that it is safe.

As far as burning them, I do that once in a while also like the others they come back quickly and you burn them all summer before they give up. Also, my neighbor was burning some with a big rosebud on a 20 LB propane cylinder on his paver patio and was holding it on a weed for a bit too long and a paver top popped off.

[big popi]

Great for searing sous-vide steaks!