What Are Weed Burners And Do They Really Work?

Flame weeders are the stuff of fantasy. While some gardeners may enjoy manually pulling weeds from around their precious vegetable and ornamental plants, most of us find the methods to get rid of weeds in a garden to be back-breaking, frustrating, and never-ending work. It's probably not uncommon to think, after a long afternoon of weeding, that it would be satisfying to just burn those evil little thieves to the ground. That thought is not the raving of someone on the verge of heat stroke — but a reality. Not only can you kill weeds with fire, but you should if your goal is to manage weeds easily, effectively, and without chemicals of any sort. Heat works as a weed removal hack, whether in the form of boiling water, plastic sheet suffocation, or actual flame.

These propane-fired tools are effective against weeds and their seeds (only on the surface, though; you'll usually have to wait for buried seeds to sprout before flaming them). It's an excellent heavy-duty tool to kill pesky weeds in your garden. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, from simple multi-purpose propane torches that can flame weeds, to walk-behind models used on small farms, to agricultural flame weeders in the form of huge implements pulled behind tractors. If you catch weeds at 1 to 4 inches, you can usually kill them with a single pass of a weed burner at a slow walking pace. It's easy, satisfying, and not outrageously expensive, given the rewards.

Conor Crickmore operates a YouTube channel about his no-till, no-tractor vegetable farm in the Catskill Mountains of New York, has long sworn by flame weeders. His company makes and sells a 17-inch-wide model suitable for large gardens and small farms for about $375 and up. Crickmore says using it is about as easy as walking, though he had his first flame weeder custom-built because models that fit his needs weren't commercially available at the time. Cheaper models are readily available today, including short-handled models, such as a $24.99 generic propane torch from Harbor Freight or a $151 light-duty kit from Flame Engineering.

Flame weeders don't require as much heat as many think, and an ideal application results in a weed that wilts 30 minutes to one hour after use. Weed seeds die at about 160 degrees Fahrenheit and we only need to scald the plants, not incinerate them– which could actually increase weed growth overall. Using a lower heat also means that the soil structure and ecosystem isn't damaged, since it barely penetrates the ground. Follow the exact instructions on your flame weeder model and be consistent for the best results. This method is highly effective against broadleaf weeds.

Whenever you're working with a weed burner, however, be careful. Wear appropriate safety gear for fire. Never use a weed burner when it's windy, and don't use it around long, dry grasses or other highly ignitable materials, and have a source of water handy for emergencies.