Weed Blaster Uses Steam To Kill

Weed Blaster Uses Steam To Kill CROPS Weed Control 28-4-16 This summer Dayton Funk of west central Saskatchewan is trying something he thinks will interest other organic growers like him. He's going to experiment with a weed-blasting machine that steams unwanted plants to death. No chemicals or other additives are needed. The heat from steam produced by the unit bursts the plant cells, killing them instantly. Funk bought the "Weed Blaster" last fall, but hasn't had a chance to use it yet. He purchased the unit from "Pumps and Pressure" in Edmonton, Alberta which had been leasing it to the City of Calgary. Funk knows this type of system works well because he also has an acquaintance in Ontario who uses one to get rid of weeds around playground equipment and to kill grass on soccer field boundary lines where no chemicals are allowed. "At this point, I'm only passing on second hand news û other people have used it to kill weeds and had good results, but I plan to test it in a farm application for spot-spraying thistle, dandelion and quack grass patches around my shelterbelts and buildings. It'll be interesting to see how well it works on those plants." The unit consists of a 300-gal. tank mounted on a four-wheel trailer. It has a diesel-powered boiler and a gas generator that powers a pump, plus 30 meters of hose on a reel. There's a wand for spot-spraying and a meter-wide boom on wheels for bigger jobs. Funk says the base unit cost him $6,000 (Canadian), the trailer was $3,000, and he paid another $1,000 for the gas generation water tank, bringing his total expense to $10,000. If all goes well with his testing, Funk plans to rent out the machine to other organic producers in his area. He feels it may even be suited to some large-scale farming applications. "The unit could be used by anyone requiring weed control where chemical applications might be hazardous to the environment," Funk says. "It will kill weeds near trees and other plants." He has already had some inquiries from people in the oilfield business who are familiar with the steamer units, since they are also used to clean heavy equipment. These people are now also considering their possible use as a non-chemical weed control for well sites. If all else fails, Funk says he can still use his weed blaster to clean engines and disinfect barns. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dayton Funk, R.R 1, Richard, Sask., Canada S0M 2P0 (email: Dayton.Funk@sasktel.net).

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