HGTV's Ben Napier Shares His Surefire Method For Banishing Unwanted Weeds

Fire might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you're trying to figure out what you can substitute for weed killer in your garden. But in episode 4 of season 8 of HGTV's "Home Town," Ben Napier was spotted using a torch to burn weeds outside of the home the Napiers were renovating. In the episode, he explains that this unconventional method for weed killing is a better alternative to mowing, which can end up scattering weed seeds.

Is fighting weeds with fire as safe and effective as it is fun? According to Anthony Zanfini, the garden coach and consultant who created The Young Nanno, it can be. In an exclusive interview with House Digest, the garden coach said, "Flame weeding can be a very effective method if used on the right plants. The intense heat destroys their cell structure — from top to bottom." Just as Napier claimed in the episode, using controlled fire to burn weeds can help destroy the unwanted plants without scattering their seeds all over your yard.

With that said, it may not be the best choice for every weed in your garden. "It's best used on smaller, young weeds that haven't developed deep root systems that can help them grow back," said Zanfini. "Otherwise, you may have to repeat the process every few weeks." In addition to using it on the weeds it's best suited for, it's also important to be careful where and how you use fire in your garden.

There are a few reasons to add a torch to your arsenal of weed-killing options. For one, as Ben Napier admits in the "Home Town" episode, it's fun. More importantly, it can be really effective for eradicating large patches of young weeds. "Flame weeding is a very fast method that works great around large areas, uneven or curved perimeters, and against solid surfaces like stone walkways, concrete steps or gravel paths," said Anthony Zanfini in an exclusive interview with House Digest.

You can quickly burn through long stretches of weeds that would otherwise be tedious to pull out from between pavers or scattered in a gravel walkway. In these situations, flame weeding can even be preferable to more conventional options like mowing or using a string trimmer. According to Zanfini, "Mowing weeds down can spread seeds and rarely kills them entirely because not enough of the plant is damaged to prevent it from regrowing." A string trimmer can spread seeds just as easily as mowing.

Fire, on the other hand, will actually destroy the plant. The intense heat will cause the water and sap inside a plant to boil while the exterior parts of the plant are scorched. "On small, less established weeds this can be enough to kill them for good," Zanfini said. It can also help control weed seeds either by heating the soil enough to kill them or triggering them to germinate so that you can take a torch to the new seedlings a few days later.

While flame weeding is one of the best weed removal hacks for gardeners who want to avoid herbicides, it's essential to take safety precautions. To start, don't use a torch on stubborn perennials. "Even fire may not fully eradicate tough weeds with deep roots that can bounce back and even thrive as they now face less competition for sun, water, and nutrients around them," Zanfini told House Digest in an exclusive interview.

Instead, save the torch for younger weeds or tender annuals without deep root systems. Moreover, avoid using this method near anything flammable, like your wood deck or your garden beds filled with wood chips and shrubs. This method is best used in paved areas like your driveway, sidewalk, or patio. It's great for stopping those pesky weeds from growing between your pavers or popping up in your gravel.

Finally, be prepared to douse the flames if they get out of control. In "Home Town," Ben Napier has a bucket of water nearby in case the fire spreads. "In addition to having a bucket of water or hose at the ready, a big safety consideration to keep in mind is the weather," Zanfini cautioned. "Never attempt this method of weed control on a windy day where the flames are hard to control, and fires could quickly spread." The garden coach also recommended wearing safety glasses and appropriate clothing to protect yourself from the fire as you torch the weeds.