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Question: Away from harmful chemical weed killers, what options do you have if you’re to win the battle against invasive weeds?
Well, plenty!
First, salt, vinegar, soap, and even hot water can stop dandelions, crabgrass, and other annoying weeds in their tracks.
There are other super-efficient weed control methods too including pulling or hoeing weeds and mulching (in the warming spring) though a little tiring.
We will be telling you about another extremely efficient (but rather strangely less famous) alternative method here: killing weeds with heat gun..
Killing weeds with heat gun – how it works
In this type of thermal weeding, you simply expose weeds to temps higher than they typically survive at, killing them.
It’s important to mention that those who have been using this method adopt two approaches..
Either the soil is heated -at extremely high temperature and for a longer duration- to kill growing weeds and weed seeds along with soil borne pests and/or diseases (soil sterilization) or the above surface parts of the uninvited plants are scorched at sufficiently high temps.
The objective of the latter approach – just like when you’re using a flame weeder- is to kill all the buds or harm the stem (and the root system).
Keep in mind that buds are the primary parts of weeds that tend to grow so it’s vital that they’re hurt to prevent new shoots/leaves from sprouting.
Killing weeds with heat gun – procedure
The best type of heat gun to eradicate weeds is the one used for paint stripping jobs.
To be fair, this device- we all know that it blows hot air- was designed to strip paint and we have adventurous gardeners to thank for discovering that it can be an amazing no-chemical weapon against weeds.
Preliminaries
Here is a quick rundown of the basic safety precautions when working with a heat gun:
- Keep off the metal nozzle– Don’t touch the red hot metal nozzle. You risk burning!
- A word on air flow direction– Never direct the gun’s air flow towards your body. You again risk burns!
- Switch it off- Always switch the device off before you put it down on a surface.
- Cooling– Allow the heat gun to cool before storage (a minimum of 30 minutes is recommended).
- No blockage– Check that nothing blocks the tool’s inlet grill or obstructs the air flow while in operation (it may overheat and perhaps catch fire).
- Use a heavy-duty extension cord (if you must)- Cheap ones overheat- a heat gun can produce temps as high as 1200 °F(649 °C)!- and may get burned.
- More gear– Put on a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of heavy-duty work gloves before starting. You might as well want to wear extra protective gear like goggles.
Also remember that you don’t want to burn weeds in areas with dry foliage because it can easily catch fire (The fan motors and power switches in heat guns are not spark-free and are an ignition hazard).
In fact, you should first clear away all potential fire hazards (think of paper towels and other flammable trash) from the patio before you get down to work.
Burning weeds in field- Step by step
Step 1: Plug it in
Plug the heat gun into the nearest wall outlet directly.
Tip: Make sure its power switch is set to the off position before you plug it in otherwise you may accidentally activate the heat gun before you’re ready.
Step 2: Switch it on (and set the recommended setting, if applicable)
The temperature you’ll need usually depends on the weed you’re eliminating.
That said, most weeds stand no chance from 180°F (82°C).
As such, set your heat gun to the appropriate temperature- if it has separate controls- and airspeed (your manual should help).
Step 3: Position the nozzle above your unwanted weeds
Move to where you want to start the weed killing job and hold the heat gun in an angle that will allow you to direct the heat where you want it- the center of the weed plant.
Start heating – make sure the heat goes to the center parts of each plant.
You should hold your heat there until your weed wilts before moving to the next weed.
Keep repeating the procedure until all the weeds in the patch have wilted.
Step 4: Switch it off
Switch your long handle heat gun off then set it down.
You may proceed to store it after it has cooled for not less than 30 minutes.
Step 5: Check for regrowth and apply more heat treatment
Now, stubborn weeds such as deep rooted dandelions – the cell structure may have remained intact- may pop up again after one week.
You should, therefore, inspect the area after about 7 days and heat freshly growing weeds an additional time, if necessary.
Keep repeating the procedure until all the weeds surrender.
Killing weeds with heat gun- useful tips
- The best heat gun to use– Basic heat guns work such as this (those with a single heat setting and fan speed) and there’s no reason to invest in more advanced models for this task (unless you already have such a heat weedkiller with you).
- Distance– Don’t place the nozzle of your gun directly against weeds as it might potentially make the gun overheat. Instead, always try to maintain a healthy distance from the plants (vary it depending on the weed).
- You really don’t have to burn the weed– Just apply adequate heat to kill the plant (a good signal that it’s dead is wilting or the leaves changing color).
- Burning weeds in rocks- Wave the heat gun over the rocks, back and forth, until you burn the weeds to death.
- Kill weeds by heat when they’re young- Don’t let weeds overgrow. It’s much easier to burn them when they’re still young and tender.
Wrapping it up
Consider killing weeds with heat gun or other heat-based weed control tools like flame weeding equipment if you have herbicide-resistant weeds or can’t stand back-breaking weed control techniques such as hoeing.
It not only kills the actual weed plants but could also kill any weed seeds retained on your yard’s soil surface so long as they’re not buried too deep below.
On the downside, just like when burning weeds with gasoline, hardy weeds may keep coming back and you might need to burn them a couple of times to defeat them.
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