Weed burners -I can’t kill the weeds

[Whentheydontmeanwhattheysay]

I burn them but the exact same ones just come back over and over. It doesn’t kill them at all, just kills the leaves and then, after a time, they just regenerate.

Does everyone have this problem?

It only works gor annual weeds. It doesn't kill the roots of stuff like buttercups and dandelions.

Well, now I know!
I thought it was going to be the answer to my prayers.

The little single burner ones don’t do much. I did use a roofing torch once which was fantastic but went through vast amounts of gas and scorched a huge area.

Now I stick to glyphos for anything that would previously have had the burner.

Yes I have taken to using DH’s blowtorch, melted the driveway a bit, did still come back though.

I’m wanting to avoid weed killers, I’m busy filling my garden with plants for the bees so don’t want to risk harming them with anything.

Perennial weeds have to be either dug out, or starved out by killing any new growth immediately. The latter could take years for some. Or killed with systemic weedkiller, but glyphosate is getting harder to get now and I don't know any other systemics that are safe (somewhat) and effective.

The burner is just as good as any non-systemic weedkiller, in that it'll kill the leaves nicely.

A jetwash will also cut the tops off weeds and will sometimes damage the roots too. I found it way better than the burner

I pour boiling water on mine. The strongest ones do come back but it gets rid of them for a while.

get yourself some ammonium sulphamate, it does not contain glyphosate and breaks down easily into harmless chemicals.

My weed burner doesn't work either. I've got more weeds now than when I first used it. I hear that that a vinegar and salt mixture is effective but haven't tried it.

@Ifailed

get yourself some ammonium sulphamate, it does not contain glyphosate and breaks down easily into harmless chemicals.

I second this, I have recommended it on here before as it is one of the few weed killers that are relatively low on toxic environmental effects. It alters the plant's cells ability to process nitrogen (or something like that) and the product breaks down harmlessly in the soil. It doesn't harm bees or pollinators. It isn't carcinogenic. It is sold in the UK as a compost accelerant.

I would have thought that a weed burner would work on tough weeds like dandelions if you kept the flame on the weed for a more prolonged period of time, is that not the case? You need the flame's heat to force every cell in the tap root to expand and burst so just passing the flame over the leaves wouldn't be enough (not saying you're doing this, just wondering aloud).

If you must use chemical killers, you can minimise damage to pollinators if you never ever use it on or near plants in bloom.

Boiling water works ok, but takes a few goes,, whenever you boil the kettle for a drink, pour the rest on a weed.

If your aim is to fill your garden with flowers for the bees, then just leave the dandelions alone - job done!

I leave them in the lawn @MangeTrout it’s the ones that are growing in the drive I’d rather get rid of.