Our Grounds Maintenance Service are adopting an organic approach to weed control.
With so many weedkilling chemicals being removed from the approved list, cost effective alternatives need to be found.
Using heat for weed and disease control has been proven over many years to be a success in the plant nursery growing industry. Here in Bury we are now using trolley-mounted flame-weeding machines as an effective alternative to chemical weed control. This method is used at small sites and areas sensitive to chemical leaching, such as sites adjacent to ponds, water gullies/water channels, annual bedding plots, paths and footways adjacent to fine turf areas.
The flame weeding machine uses readily available LPG (Liquidfied Petroleum Gas) using a retractable arm that directs the heat at ground level. Running costs are around £6 per 0.4ha for weed control, or around £12 per hour of use.
For more information contact:
Environment and Development Services,
Customer Services, Lester House, 21 Broad Street, Bury, BL9 0AW.
Phone: 0161 253 5353.
Fax: 0161 253 5851.
E-mail: customerserviceseds@bury.gov.uk.
