Flame guns

Good morning all

i've done a search for flame guns but the discussion developed into weed killers. We don't use chemicals in our community garden, but there are plenty of weeds inbetween the pavers. It's being done with a long- handled tool but it is too much for us. We've discussed flame guns but we wonder whether one marks the pavers and what are the downsides?

Then there's gas, paraffin and electric and we don't know which is best. There is plenty of money available so I've seen paraffin for £230 , but if it is worth it this is an affordable sum.

 

Is there any chance you're able to starve the weeds from any light? As for the flame guns, think I'd ask advice from a fireman.

 

We used one in a previous garden. It's a bit extreme, but works a lot better than those little ones with a gas canister, where basically you have to stand for ages doing a small area. We had a nice stone path and it wasn't affected

 

I've known a few people over the years who have bought flame guns and from memory none have been especially impressed.
They only destroy the top growth, so that may well kill some annual weeds. But perennial weeds will just carry on growing as their root system is unaffected.
I can't recall anyone mentioning damage to paviors.

 

with concrete slabs don't get them very hot as they can go bang/exsplode

 

I have a little electric one and it's not much good.

 

We have a gas one and it works well enough for us. The trick is to go over the same area the following day. It does not mark the crazy paving slabs which we have aplenty. The only thing it does not seem to deal with is liverwort.

 

They work to destroy the leaf structure by boiling the cells. It is a mistake to continue beyond wilting, wasting fuel energy, none of which are cheap. They are not designed/intended to incinerate the destroyed plant, so may not satisfy 'tidy' gardeners. You would not ,therefore, linger and damage the paving.
Persistant weeds , such as dandelion, bindwind, couch etc will likely reshoot from root reserves.
They are excellent as a treatment of emergent seedlings, especially on wide areas such as gravel drives, where hoeing is not wise.

 

I was browsing and thought of your post when I saw an electric weed\patio sweeper. There seem to be several makes available, I’ve never used one myself. Would that be another option?

Garden Gear Electric Weed Sweeper | Suttons

 

I've got an electric sweeper/cleaner that I use on my patio.
It is heavy! but that means no downward pressure needed to give a good scrub. But it's hefty to carry around.
It does do a very good job of cleaning the porcelain tiles and shifts all dirt and the algae that grows in the grouting and it doesn't take long.

It will probably kill some weeds as the brush is very harsh, but would need regular use to keep weeds away.

Batavia MAXXBRUSH Outdoor Multi-Brush

 

Weeds in between pavers suggests the mortar is in bad shape, ie, cracked or missing completely. Maybe for a better long term solution it's the mortar issue that needs addressing because, as already mentioned, a flame gun would only get rid of the stuff you can see, not the all important root systems.

 

Paviours are often just set into sand, not mortared in, so it's ideal for all sorts of plants to seed into.

 

Thats due to building regs; to achieve percolation to prevent surface run-off and flooding.10.2.6 Drives, paths and landscaping - NHBC Standards 2024

 

Hello and thank you for the replies. It looks to me that the Suttons weed sweeper is a good way to go as it is inexpensive, doesn't need paraffin or gas with risk of self burns or other accidents and if it doesn't suit well it's not much money wasted.

 

In a previous house went to my local B&Q for a replacement canister. Sorry Sir we no longer stock them. Why? Some idiot burned his foot when using the wand bare footed and tried to obtain compensation from us.