A New Tool for Weed Control
by Garrett
THE FARMHOUSE
You know the saying about death and taxes? Well I’d like to add weeds to that list! On our three acre property weeds are just a fact of life and we don’t use herbicides so this means lots of cutting and pulling. But this year we’ve added another tool to our weed control efforts…a torch!
*this post is sponsored by Bernzomatic
The JT850 outdoor torch from Bernzomatic has a long-reach design so you can apply heat near the ground without having to bend over. It also has an integrated igniter and adjustable flow making it really convenient to use. Before starting a project we also like to check the propane in our can with a gauge and this one works great.
We found the JT850 really excels at spot weed control especially when the weeds are pretty small or hard to pull. Our weed control strategy is different in our garden where we’re going for 100% elimination vs the rest of the property where we are just trying to prevent spread. A quick run through the garden area with the JT850 every month or so catches the newly sprouted weeds before they can really get established. The other spots we’ve used the torch are in places that are hard to reach for pulling or trimming like our fence lines.
Here's a video of the process…
Our goal with the burning method (and the cutting and pulling too) is to remove the weeds above ground. As nice as it would be to completely destroy the plant, many noxious weeds have root systems that make that impossible without chemicals/herbicides. By killing the plant above ground, you use up the plant’s energy to regrow rather than to flower and spread. Managing it instead of irradicating it.
Weed suppression is a three-season effort around here and no single method is going to work in every instance so we’re glad to have the JT850 as another option (when there’s no burn ban on, of course)!
A few things to consider when using fire to control weeds…
Research the weed you’re targeting to make sure they’ll respond well to fire. A few plants will actually spread more rapidly with fire, so better safe than sorry!
Fire safety! Make sure you’re burning just the weed and not any dry tinder nearby. When in doubt, have a hose nearby!
Follow your local fire safety protocols and avoid using fire during the hot/dry months! We have a burn ban in effect for much of the summer in our valley, so we don’t use this method during that time.
What about you? Do you have any non-herbicidal weed control methods that work well? We’d love to hear them!