Cliff, My adult son,Jeremy,bought one at "Tractor Supply" store. He uses it to light the bar-b-que pit. To me it looks dangerous. He loves it but he always like playing with fire as
a boy.
Felix

I absolutely love mine! I found it in a catalog, it cost $30, and it works like a charm! Most of the weeds I burn out of the path with it do NOT come back. However, the nut sedge will be back by the next morning, and I can't even kill that with RoundUp! But everything else I've used it on dies and doesn't come back. YAY!

I'll have to find the catalog so I can give you the online link, Cliff. I can't think of it right now.

Marcia

lol @ Felix...

Thanks Manature. When you find it let me know. So, I take it this isn't somethign you can pick up at KMart? Or Home Depot??

I have Mexican Petunias mostly. Ugh!!! Can you imagine in the cracks. Jeez. Makes the place looks like it has been abandoned. lol

Does it use propane?

Thanks.
Tropcialfreak

Yes, mine uses propane. It holds the small tanks, which I can get at Home Depot for about $2.50, and I can clear quite a bit per tank. No, Home Depot doesn't carry the device, and I've never seen it in any store around here. Pretty sure you won't get it at Wal-Mart or Target, either. I know I have my catalog around here still...I'll keep looking.

Marcia

I found it, Cliff! Check it out! (They delivered pretty quickly, too.)

Marcia

Here is a link that might be useful: Whatever Works Catalog

Till you get one, you could use boiling water. ;o) I put it in a watering can and pour it on the weeds.

Remember it IS dangerous! It works best on the very fine grasses. Careful though as those vining grasses are like a dynamite wick.I caught a Palm tree on fire and a few bushes. I always keep a hose nearby so damage was minimal.Wear protective clothing as the heat tends to send things shooting through the air. Once it came VERY close to my eye and another small meteor landed on my neck and proceeded to imbed itself!Wear safety goggles and cover up FLESH! Unless you prefer it pink! Most weeds will be back within the week which makes me believe the roots arent being killed.

Goldenpond, it might depend on what/where you are using it. I only use it on my brick pathway, and so far, it has not sent anything into the air at all. No brick chips, no rocks, no debris. It hasn't discolored my bricks, either, which I worried about.

I only use it down the middle of the path, as getting it too close to the edges browns the plants in the beds. So I have no chance of setting fire to anything, really. Not a single one of my weeds has come back, other than the sedge, which I only have in a few spots. And I started it more than a month ago. The main weed in my pathway is a flat, spreading thing with tiny leaves, similar in habit to moss rose, but softer of leaf. It does not come back at ALL. I'm quite sure the whole plant has been killed.

The sedge, on the other hand, comes back by the next morning. Literally. I can't even kill that with Round Up. So I just torch it off once a week to keep it from showing.

Katkin, I tried boiling water, but it doesn't kill everything. It kills oxalis instantly, for instance, but doesn't do a thing to this mat-like weed.

Probably a combination of non-toxic approaches is best, but for the weeds that I am dealing with, the torch works like a champ. There were whole sections of brick that you couldn't even SEE 6 weeks ago, and they have been weed free ever since I started. I'm thinking if I put down a pre-emergent weed killer before spring, they may not even come back from new seeds next year. Maybe?

Marcia

And the most important thing to remember....
Stay away from poison ivy with it!
Did you know that you can BECOME allergic even though you weren't before.Don't take any chances inhaling that stuff!

Yeah, breathing in poison ivy smoke can be a killer. At the very least it will be very unpleasant for days. I recall an entire Boy Scout troop being hospitalized in Kentucky because someone was buring off PI close to their camp.

On the weed burners: I want one too! Always have but thought they were too expensive. But $30 I can (and will) do. Thanks! (Cliff - I agree that it looks like FUN.)

Kate

I am such a junkie. I checked out Marcia's link and have already purchased my torch. Can hardly wait until it arrives...

Thanks MaNature! : )

Is it called the "Powerflame"??

Thanks,Cliff

That's it, Cliff! It works great.

Goldenpond, that's great advice about the poison ivy! Good grief, I don't even want to THINK about burning that! ACK!

Marcia

I checked the one on the site. It looks much smaller than the one that my son has. This one looks manageable. My son's was built to be use in the place where bad people go. I told him that he can get a job there. My wife scolded me. Not scalded.
LOL
Felix

Hah, Felix. Sounds like your son has the commercial model, which might be what Goldenpond has, too. Mine is small, but effective, and I'm not even afraid to light it myself! (I'm usually chicken about propane and stuff). I like it.

Marcia

Cliff, I was thinking about posting this on the forum. My DH has another use for the torch. He kills ants (and termites) with it! You know when you move a pot and find the "motherload" of ants and ant eggs? It is very effective and better than using poisons. Of course, you must be very carefull not to set the yard aflame!
Kat

Woo hoo! FLAME ON! Run, ants, run.

I was JUST wondering the other day about killing ants with mine! Now I know I can do it...if the mound isn't in the middle of my flower bed as it so often is. Under pots, yes! I find lots of that activity when I move pots that are sitting on the patio. Wooohooooo...from now on, I will have El Torcho ready and set on "Barbecue!"

Marcia

Kate,
Did you get it yet??

Placing order tonight.

Cliff

Cliff,
roast marshmallows and hot dogs too. It's gonna be
a "hot" item for Christmas.
Felix