As soon as you have laboriously removed unwanted greenery with the joint scraper, the seeds sprout again and the weeds sprout. Flaming has proven to be a less strenuous and very effective method for removing weeds in the joints of terrace slabs. You can find out how to proceed and which devices are permitted in this article.
How does weed flaming work?
Flaming weeds is an effective and environmentally friendly method of removing weeds from patio slab joints. Weed burners are used that heat the weeds to 110 degrees Celsius, which destroys the cell structures and causes the weeds to wither. This method is both back-friendly and environmentally friendly.
What happens when you burn away?
As weeds look unsightly and can damage paved surfaces, they should be removed regularly. Many hobby gardeners use special weed burners for this purpose. Contrary to what the name suggests, these are not used to burn with flame or fire, but rather work according to the following principle:
- The weed is suddenly heated to around 110 degrees Celsius.
- This causes the proteins inside the plants to coagulate.
- The cells burst open and the cell fluid comes out.
- As a result, the unwanted green withers and can be easily removed.
Is burning allowed?
Since this method does not involve burning weeds with fire, weed burners are permitted. Section 12 of the Plant Protection Act even states that weeds on paved surfaces should be removed mechanically or thermally.
However, the device may not be used everywhere. N 3 39 paragraph 5 Federal Nature Conservation Act you can do it on:
- Meadows
- Feldrainen
- Hochrainen
- unused green spaces
- Floors under hedges
- Soils on slopes
do not use. It is also prohibited to use it if the heat could pose a fire hazard.
This also means that you cannot simply burn weeds with the Bunsen burner in your household, as this destroys the plants with flame.
What principle do commercially available devices work on?
The gas burners approved for domestic use reach the required temperature by:
- a hot gas mixture
- Infrared radiation
- hot steam
- hot air.
Open fire, however, is not used.
What should I pay attention to when buying a weed burner?
In the following table we have clearly summarized all the features that the devices should have:
| Property | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Adjustable flame | Not all weeds require full heat. With an adjustable flame you not only save gas, but also protect the environment thanks to the reduced CO2 emissions. |
| Weight | Working with very heavy gas burners can often be strenuous on large areas. |
| Ignition | Choose a device with piezo ignition. With this you don't have to handle the lighter at the burning opening, because the gas ignites at the push of a button. |
| Temperature | The temperature range should be tailored to the weeds that need to be destroyed as your priority. Stubborn grasses and dandelions are very robust and you need to burn them at high temperatures. However, if only grass grows into the joints, a device with a low temperature range is sufficient. |
Simple gas burners that meet these requirements are available from garden retailers for as little as 30 euros.
Instructions on how to burn properly:
Choose a dry, windless day for this work. On wet surfaces the heat has a bad effect and you have to use significantly more expensive gas.
For your own safety, you should wear sturdy shoes and long trousers. Safety gloves and safety glasses are recommended. Make sure that there are no children or pets in the immediate vicinity.
Do the following:
- Sweep the entire area and remove dirt. In particular, fallen leaves and dry branches should be removed due to the risk of fire.
- Move all fire-hazardous objects to the side.
- Connect the gas bottle to the burner according to the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure that the connections are tight, as escaping gas can become a source of danger.
- Start flaming at one end of the surface and place the gas bottle so that it is not in the area of the burner.
- Turn on the ignition and adjust the gas flame.
- Slowly guide the flame along the joint.
- Keep checking that you burn the weeds well so that they can be easily removed.
- Adjust the heat if necessary.
- Work your way forward systematically and keep moving the gas bottle so that the hose does not get stretched and it accidentally tips over.
After burning, remove all plant residues with a strong broom.
Since grasses and well-rooted plants are very resilient and sprout quickly after torching, you should go over the area again after about two weeks. Over time, the weeds become so weakened that burning is only necessary every few months.
What are the advantages of this method?
While mechanical weeding with the joint scraper is laborious and herbicides damage the environment, the flame weeding device offers various advantages:
- Killing weeds is quick and very effective.
- There are no environmentally harmful residues.
- Burning weeds is non-toxic and therefore biologically harmless.
- Since the devices are operated while standing, the work is easy on the back and not very strenuous.
Tip
To prevent accidents, you should neither smoke nor use other sources of fire nearby, such as the grill, while flame-flaming. Glowing objects and open flames can cause the gas burner to malfunction and result in serious accidents.
