If you hate the traditional ways of pulling, spraying or digging up your weeds, this may be for you! Flaming your weeds means taking a portable porpoane torch that heats to 2,000 degrees farenheit and can kill annual weeds in less than a second. The extreme heat boils the water in the stems and foliage. Older annuals or perennial weeds may require more than one torching, but they don't stand a chance. 

These portable torhes are available at most hardware stores and range from $50-$100. They include a hose and a burning tip that produces a fine flame. Tank sizes range from handheld to a tank similar to what you use for a grill.

If weed flaming sounds good to you, here are some safety and usage tips: 

1) Look for a torch with an ignition switch and avoid using matches.

2) Never flame weeds during dry periods, on windy days, or when the lawn contains excessive dry thatch.

3) Avoid using a torch near dry bark mulch as it can ignite quickly.

4) If your torch has an extension hose, keep the flame away from the hose and the tank.

5) The younger the plant, the more quickly and easily they will die back after flaming. 

6) Only a split second is needed to scorch a weed. Holding the flam any longer may damage soil organisms and nontarget plants near the weed. 

7) The torch tip wll remain hot long after the flame stops so be careful not to touch the tip or leave out the tool where others might come in contact with it.