No Hand-Pulling: Keep Gravel Driveways Weed-Free With A Find From Harbor Freight

As a homeowner, the fight against weeds can feel like a battle that never ends. These unwanted plants can crowd out your grass and garden, attract pests to your yard, and generally detract from the aesthetic appeal of a clean lawn. There are many ways to get rid of weeds, but many of them involve toxic herbicides or time-consuming hand labor. But if you're looking for a more serious solution to your weed problem, it might be time to turn up the heat with a propane torch.

Fire is a surprisingly effective way to combat excessive weed growth, provided you have the proper equipment and know how to use it safely. The Harbor Freight Greenwood Propane Torch is a top-rated option with an average 4.6-star rating across almost 5,000 reviews. Many customers noted that it works well on hard-to-reach weeds, like ones that invade gravel driveways. A propane torch is especially useful in this scenario compared with hand-weeding or tools that can scatter rocks and make a mess. It is also a viable alternative to chemical weed-killers if you have kids or pets and don't want to spray toxic herbicides on your property.

Removing weeds with a propane torch can save time and reduce back pain from pulling them up, but you must be careful. This is a serious and potentially dangerous piece of equipment. These torches emit a lot of heat — in excess of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (and that heat isn't confined to where you see flames). Without proper precautions, your propane weeding torch can pose a fire hazard.

Before you begin using it, ensure you have a source of water nearby, such as a spray hose, to quickly extinguish any unexpected fires. Wear closed-toe shoes, a long shirt and pants, and gloves. Always point the torch away from you, and don't use it on windy days, as blowing embers can spark a fire. Also, check with your local government agencies for burning bans or other restrictions. Finally, do not use your torch to control creeping lawn weeds near anything you don't want exposed to intense heat, such as fences, house siding, dry grass, brush piles, or healthy plants. So, if part of your gravel driveway is right next to your home or garden bed, you may want to avoid using the weeding torch there.

To use the torch, connect it to the propane tank (the tank's valves should be closed). Then slowly open the valve and ignite the torch. The Harbor Freight Greenwood Propane Torch has a push-button igniter, so you should not need a lighter to ignite the flame like some other models require. When burning, don't overdo it. The goal is not to burn weeds down to ash. A one- or two-second pass over the weeds will emit enough heat to kill the unwanted growth.