Steam Boiler or Steam Generator for Weed Control

[Weedtechnics]

Anyone ever use steam to kill/prevent weeds? Any ideas of how to make or use a boiler to generate enough steam to go up and down rows of apple trees to kill weeds and grass? I was thinking of using something like a household steam boiler, fueling it with propane, pulling it or pushing it with my tractor. I have front and rear PTO's on my Mahindra, so I could use a pump on the front or back to push the steam out onto the rows. Ideas?

Steam boilers dont deliver enough wet steam to effectively destroy soft leaved and stemmed vegetation quick enough. The answer is a heat exchanger that delivers saturated steam and boiling water at a volume enough to give forward movement and a delivery temperature of 212F. www.Weedtechnics.com manufacture such a product. They have US made heat exchangers and Australian design applicator heads for orchards and other intensive horticultural production.

 

[jyoutz]

Anyone know if there are ramifications when using flame weeding around young (3-6 year old apple trees)? I assume going too slow around any small tree is going to be a potential issue, but other than that.....?

Don’t allow flames or heat to blister or burn the bark on the tree stem.

 

[chim]

Here you go. They were still doing this for tobacco beds locally when I was a kid:

The Steamer

Back in the day when farmers needed to prepare land or get it fit for planting in the spring, they would plow and then bring in a steamer. It runs

www.lancasterfarming.com

 

[not2old]

Before adding a few inches of good topsoil and seeding grass, I killed the weeds using a tiger torch. I quickly learned that you needed to wear safety glasses as tiny rocks would explode with the heat and it was not a quick process. An area about 15'x15' took me well over an hour. It did work well as none of the large course weeds came through the new grass. I haven't tried steam on my gravel drive due to the cost of decent equipment.

 

[leonz]

Anyone ever use steam to kill/prevent weeds? Any ideas of how to make or use a boiler to generate enough steam to go up and down rows of apple trees to kill weeds and grass? I was thinking of using something like a household steam boiler, fueling it with propane, pulling it or pushing it with my tractor. I have front and rear PTO's on my Mahindra, so I could use a pump on the front or back to push the steam out onto the rows. Ideas?

Spend your good money on a hydraulic driven weeder with whisker switch/limit switch control and you can weed and protect all your fruit trees no matter how old that are.

 

[Titan123]

We use both a mechanical weeder and multi clean brush made by Clemens. Great products and work surprisingly well (and fast). I am also looking at steam options and have the setup…just not enough time to fiddle with it.

 

[Williy]

Why don't you go on youtube and check out the natural weed k;illers????

willy

 

[Renze]

Why don't you go on youtube and check out the natural weed k;illers????

willy

Goats consider apple trees as weeds too. Dont ask me how i know