As soon as you have painstakingly removed unwanted greenery with the floor scraper, the seed springs up again and the weeds sprout. Scorching has proven to be a less strenuous and very effective method of removing weeds in the joints of terrace slabs. This article tells you how to do this and which devices are allowed.

Flaming is easy on the back and efficient

What happens when you burn away?

Since 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 for flaring with flame or fire, but work according to the following principle:

  • The weed is shock-heated to around 110 degrees Celsius.
  • This coagulates the proteins inside the plants.
  • The cells burst and the cell fluid escapes.
  • As a result, the unwanted green withers and can be easily removed.

Is burning allowed?

Since this method does not burn weeds with fire, weed burners are allowed. 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 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act you may use it on:

  • grasslands
  • field rims
  • Hochrainen
  • unused green space
  • floors under hedges
  • soils on slopes

do not use. Use is also prohibited if the heat could become a fire hazard.

This also means that you must not simply burn weeds with the Bunsen burner in the household, as this destroys the plants with a flame.

According to which principle do the commercially available devices work?

The gas burners approved for domestic use achieve the required temperature through:

  • a hot gas mixture
  • infrared radiation
  • hot steam
  • hot air.

Open fire, on the other hand, is not used.

What should I look for when buying a weed burner?

In the following table we have summarized all the features that the devices should have:

characteristic Explanation
Adjustable flame Not all weeds require full heat. An adjustable flame not only saves you gas, but also protects the environment thanks to reduced CO2 emissions.
Weight With large areas, working with very heavy gas burners is often strenuous.
ignition Choose a device with piezo ignition. With this you don't have to fiddle with the lighter at the combustion opening, because the gas ignites at the push of a button.
temperature The temperature range should be tailored to the weeds that you primarily want to destroy. Stubborn grasses and dandelions are very hardy and you need to burn them at high temperatures. If, on the other hand, only grass grows in the joints, a device with a low temperature range is sufficient.

You can get simple gas burners that meet these requirements in specialist garden shops for as little as 30 euros.

Instructions on how to burn properly:

Choose a dry, windless day for this work. On a wet surface, the heat works badly and you have to use significantly more expensive gas.

For your own safety, you should wear sturdy shoes and long trousers. Safety gloves and goggles are recommended. Make sure that there are no children or pets in the immediate vicinity.

Follow these steps:

  • Sweep the entire surface and remove dirt. In particular, fallen leaves and dry twigs should be removed because of the risk of fire.
  • Put all fire-endangered objects aside.
  • Connect the gas cylinder to the burner according to the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure that the connections are tight because escaping gas can become a source of danger.
  • Start scabbing at one end of the area and place the gas cylinder away from the burner area.
  • Operate the ignition and adjust the gas flame.
  • Slowly guide the flame along the joint.
  • Check again and again that you burn the weeds away well so that they can be removed easily.
  • Adjust the heat if necessary.
  • Work your way up systematically, moving the gas cylinder around to avoid straining the hose and accidentally tipping it over.

After burning, remove all plant remains with a strong broom.

Since grass and well-rooted plants are very resistant and quickly sprout again after burning, you should go over the area again after about two weeks. Over time, the weeds will weaken to such an extent that flaming is only necessary every few months.

What are the advantages of this method?

While mechanical weeding with the floor scraper is tedious and herbicides damage the environment, the weeding device offers various advantages:

  • Killing weeds is quick and very effective.
  • There are no environmentally harmful residues.
  • Burning weeds away is non-toxic and therefore biologically harmless.
  • Since the devices are operated while standing, the work is easy on the back and less strenuous.

tips

To prevent accidents, you should neither smoke nor operate other sources of fire nearby, such as the grill, while you are flame-flaming. Glowing objects and open flames can cause the gas burner to malfunction and result in serious accidents.

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Herbs