Hello to my organic gardeners.
I need a quick education regarding "LP powered, flame weed killers".
Problem statement: 5 acres of wet ground must be "weeded" in a one week time-frame. For the sake of argument, the target species is wild garlic with "corms" or bulblets the size of unpopped pop-corn. I suspect that if the corm can be heated to 160F (70C) that most of the corms will be toast.
My "client" will be advised to use an IR thermometer to calibrate speed of the boom and the valve setting for the burner.
The ground will be wet but there will be no surface water. Corms may be half-buried in mud but most of them will simple be resting on bare soil.
I cannot imagine being able to cover that much ground in that short of a time with anything less than a boom 18" wide. But I really know NOTHING about the technology.
Please advise regarding industrial-quality units and any Flame-weeded 101 documents.
I can't speak to the industrial multi-unit ones, but I've done 5+ hours of flame weeding using a propane tank tossed in a red wagon and a flame weeder.
ReplyDelete"I cannot imagine being able to cover that much ground in that short of a time with anything less than a boom 18" wide." To kill 95% of anything thicker than a thin leaf while wet, especially against the ground, I'd guess you'd have to play the flame over it for at least 5 full seconds. If you're OK with maybe only getting 70% or 60% probably 3 seconds.
So to gauge the above (after writing it) I watched a few multi-head videos (0 IRL practice so weak knowledge) and they went pretty slow, I'd guess right around 2-3 seconds in the flame and that as just to kill leafy greens not spherical balls against the ground/mud. Based on the videos plus burning weeds around my house/garden, I'd guess my 5 second estimate might actually be closer to 60% kill rate in this use case.
I just slideruled the #s and it looks like (at 18 inches) that'd by 27 row miles to walk which works out to almost exactly 1 foot per second to cover the 5 acres in 40 hours. With the head angle on the units I've seen I think this would probably work, but 40 hours is a long time to be doing this.
Also, they are wildly louder in person than they are online. Wear hearing protection (foam ear plugs, then ear muffs with music is what I do for stuff like this).
After the growing season my plan is to cut down, burn and then tarp a large section of my garden and I fully expect it to be the suck just do do maybe 1k sq ft with 1 head. Doing 5 acres would require some excellent books on tape and (ideally) at much wider unit.
Thanks for the informative comment.
ReplyDeleteEven though this unit http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0781/4013/files/Sanitizer-Action.jpg?12149864243767926468 would be a pain to drive around, it looks like it would be pretty effective with the long hood directing the heat toward the ground.
Agree with Spartan pretty much but there are additional issues here.
ReplyDeleteThe heads need to be oriented at an angle to the ground to avoid "ground effect" where a direct overhead flow will create an evaporation layer which cooling will protect anything at ground level. Forced heat at an angle will be more effective at disrupting the cooling layer. This is even more apt an approach if green growth is standing.
Here is a link that may allow your grower a follow-up tilling plan.
https://www.sare.org/publications/manage-weeds-on-your-farm/wild-garlic/
You and I were cross-posting, Joe. Yeah, I like the looks of the Sanitizer!
ReplyDeleteYou might try contacting Wood Prairie Farm, Bridgwater Maine. They use flame weeding on their organic seed potatoes.
ReplyDeleteThank-you sir or ma'am
Deletehttps://flameweeders.com/home.html
ReplyDeleteSuper! Thank-you.
DeleteI've had limited success with flame weeders. I use a Weed Dragon on my property. It does a pretty good job of knocking down the weeds, but nothing wants to survive more than a plant. Most times, the weeds will grow back, as the flame does NOTHING to the roots below ground. Your garlic falls into that category. About the only thing positive I've found with flame weeders is that they'll cook off the seeds, reducing next season's infestations. This is especially true for weeds like thistles, whose seeds go airborne when dry.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I don't wan to use herbicides anywhere on my property where I have edibles growing. ...For me, that's most of my property...
...Good luck...
Thanks for the personal testimony.
DeleteI will pass that along. Unfortunately, I think "The Client" expects me to do much of the work 8-(
Why not put a small herd of pigs in that field for a week? Surely they'd remove most of the issue in a week, push aerate and fertilise the soil too. Just thinking out loud.
ReplyDeleteJoe I know im a wet blanket. What will you use when it gets spicy? Woody
ReplyDelete