BLANCHING/FLAMING NOXIOUS WEEDS

Here is something for your 2006 Happy New Year! Blanching (also known as "flaming") is a technique for combatting invasive noxious weeds in wildland settings that uses heat from a hand-held propane torch. The technique of blanching weeds results in steaming or wilting target weed species and is a weed abatement technique that has been around a long time in agricultural settings but it is relatively new in wild landscapes or wildland habitat restorartion projects. Typically in the ag fields, workers carry a small 2.4-gallon, 10-lb. capacity propane tank (aka cylinder) attached to a backpack and they flame unwanted weeds in the fields or around buildings, inside ashpalt crevices, etc. Tractors are also fitted with attachments that have many orifices along a "boom" and flames are emitted to kill or set back weeds as the tractor moves between crop rows, etc. Blanching is an exciting wildland restoration tool because its a safe, simple, easy-to-use, and effective technique and it works best when it is raining or under very wet conditions. This provides a great alternative to herbicides but just on rainy or very wet days. Propane flaming kits are available that use either liquid withdrawal or vapor withdrawal systems and a variety of torches and propane cylinders.

Much of what we know about flaming invasive has been provided by Ken Moore who has an excellent write-up on safety and how to operate flaming equipment at http://www.wildwork.org/webdocs/Flame_Weed_Control.pdf.

Below are more photos of flaming for your new year palate. New Year's Resolution for all weed warriors: Learn a little bit more about blanching invasive weeds! p.s. Even more cool blanching photos are stored at www.chuckhaugenconservationfund.org If you want to check them out just visit the homepage and click on photos then click on the "So cool!" Blanching weed photo set.

Above: Mary Paul enjoying habitat restoration using propane flaming techinique (20 lb vapor torch assembly) on poison hemlock at Fort Ord.

Below: Bruce Delgado using 30 lb., 7.5 gallon capacity liquid propane torch assembly to flame sweet clover (Melilotus indica) along Barloy Cyn. Rd. on Fort Ord. Photo by Mary Paul, Dec. 28, 2005.

Who are these plants? See below!

Melilotus indica on right and left is also called Indian melilot, or yellow sweet clover. Geranium molle in center of this seedling sandwich is also called dove's foot geranium. Note the seed leaves (aka "cotyledons") of each species and how different they are from the "true leaves" above them that grow after the cotyledons. Can you find all three leaf forms on the yellow sweet clover in this photo? Very interesting, and, by the way, at this early stage is when it is most efficient to flame these invasive weeds for habitat restoration purposes. Photos taken Dec. 28-29, 2005 by Mary Paul and Bruce Delgado.

On Dec. 30, 2005, Vern Yadon wrote: One of the great things about flaming following the first rains is that it does little to and much for our perennial natives by attacking the early germinating annual exotics. Take for example the Vulpias and Erodiums which seem to germinate following the first fall sprinkle sucking up all available moisture and getting a jump on everything else in the competition for light.

Italian Thistle, Dwarf Nettle, and Chickweed BEFORE Blanching ...

AND BELOW, THOSE SAME WEEDS AFTER BLANCHING!

DWARF NETTLE BEFORE BLANCHING

AND BELOW, DWARF NETTLE AFTER BLANCHING