Steam thermal weeder

Materials and equipment

Field crops Market gardening Arboriculture Tropical crops Weeding

Demonstration of a steam thermal weeder in Réunion

Matériel

A steam thermal weeder is an alternative weeding tool that does not use chemical substances and does not disturb the soil. Its principle consists of burning the foliar tissues of weed plants by spraying steam at 180 °C for an average duration of 10 minutes. This technique is often combined with a spraying of boiling water which intensifies the burning effect on plant tissues. In general, steam thermal weeders are designed for a pass in the open field or before sowing (to destroy young weeds and pathogens in the superficial soil horizon). Manual weeders exist for bed weeding but are more difficult to find. The major advantage of steam for thermal weeding is the total absence of soil disturbance and pesticides, thus this technique helps to best preserve soil structure and soil biodiversity.

See also

• Thermal weeder
• Bed thermal weeder