# Weed torches: yes? No? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2018, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540 "2018-07-09T01:34:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/21 "2018-07-09T15:21:50Z")
What about pouring boiling water on them? That should cook them just like the flame, but penetrate deeper, and still without any harmful residues. And you probably already have equipment for boiling water. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/22 "2018-07-09T15:36:39Z")
I think you missed the significant contribution to the debate by **Tastes of Chocolate** : > [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > As an added bonus: FIRE! šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/23 "2018-07-10T21:37:31Z")
Just donā€™t burn your house or shed, which is a fairly common thing to do when burning weeds. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/24 "2018-07-10T21:47:03Z")
I would have the Cub following behind with the hose. Fire, hose, boys having fun - what could possibly go wrong?!? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/25 "2018-07-11T15:49:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What about pouring boiling water on them? That should cook them just like the flame, but penetrate deeper, and still without any harmful residues. And you probably already have equipment for boiling water. If you have more than a few weeds to kill, carting enough boiling water around is going to be difficult, plus it cools fairly quickly. Also, splashing. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/26 "2018-07-11T18:56:53Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What about pouring boiling water on them? That should cook them just like the flame, but penetrate deeper, and still without any harmful residues. And you probably already have equipment for boiling water. I looked into using boiling water, when I needed to sanitize the raccoon poop, and then I thought about how much water I would have to heat and then lug out of the house and to the firepit. Nope. Not going to do that. As for equipmentā€¦ Iā€™ve already got several propane tanks around. The burner + hose runs about 30 dollars and takes up about the spaces of a cereal box. I get it out a few times a year, grin like an idiot as I light it, and get the satisfaction of watching the damn creeping charlie fry. I take it way past the point I need to, but I get an evil thrill, imagining that stuff screaming as it chars. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/27 "2018-07-11T19:34:34Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Weed killer works better. You can kill the stuff poking out with the torch but the roots are remarkably resilient. Weed killer is bad for the environment. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/28 "2018-07-11T19:46:55Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > I bought my unit at either Harbor Freight or Northern Tool. Be sure to get one with a pizeo electric ignition. Query: whatā€™s a pizeo electric ignition? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/29 "2018-07-11T20:00:12Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Query: whatā€™s a pizeo electric ignition? [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezo_ignition) (Note spelling.) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/30 "2018-07-11T20:22:13Z")
Ah - thatā€™s the same thing as in my gas grill, Iā€™m thinking? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/31 "2018-07-11T20:27:29Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Ah - thatā€™s the same thing as in my gas grill, Iā€™m thinking? Yep same thing. Otherwise youā€™d need to stick a match or lighter in the front to light it. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/32 "2018-07-19T18:49:21Z")
**Burn, Baby, Burn!** Had to shop around a bit to find a torch; Canadian Tire and Home Depot were both out, but Lowes came through. So the Cub and I have been burning up weeds! He quickly indicated that he wanted the more fun job of the burner rather than the hose, so we switched and he methodically went over the bricks, front and back. I told him that we just needed to make them shrivel, but he thought complete and utter destruction was the way to go. And the smell of all those weeds burning smelt like ā€¦ a different kind of weed ā€¦ And then a lot of water, for fire protection. The Cub leapt back in on the hose job at that point. And now the remnants are sad little ashes. Thanks for the advice everyone. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/33 "2018-07-20T14:36:37Z")
I bought one years ago when my back was bad. I didnā€™t want it for weeds, but for clearing the front walk since I couldnā€™t shovel. What I found was that heat rises. Aiming a flame at something which is below the flame just throws light on the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/35 "2019-04-08T12:52:58Z")
Reported ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/36 "2019-04-08T12:59:31Z")
Anyone else thought this would be about carrying around burning hemp as a source of light? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/37 "2019-04-08T13:13:00Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > If you have more than a few weeds to kill, carting enough boiling water around is going to be difficult, plus it cools fairly quickly. Also, splashing. :eek: Water is great for the ā€œI found poison ivy growing here, here and hereā€ problems, and terrible for ā€œget rid of all the weeds skirting the drivewayā€ problems. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/38 "2019-04-08T17:31:32Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Anyone else thought this would be about carrying around burning hemp as a source of light? Yes, with de-criminalisation up here, weā€™re finding all sorts of new ways to use the stuff! šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/39 "2019-04-08T18:17:51Z")
Instead of a torch, would a heat-gun work? That would need electricity, but I would guess they could heat up the leaves enough to dry them out. That might be a little easier solution if you didnā€™t have too many to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/40 "2019-04-08T19:51:12Z")
The OP was almost a year ago. Were you happy with the results? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540/41 "2019-04-08T23:43:26Z")
Yes, the Cub and I were put burning dandelions. Weā€™ll see how many come up this year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-torches-yes-no/817540.md?page=1)