permaculture

[lbsaltzman@aol.com]

Because California indigenous people burned regularly, the fires weren't 
extremely hot or big compared to wild fires. Apparently the flames were about 
two feet high. How this compares to a propose contraption, I have no idea.  
Somehow I can't quite get behind the idea of using such a device on the land. 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: marshall_mush@yahoo.com
To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 11:44 AM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Tending the Wild, Wood Ash


Just last night I was talking with a friend who
was curious about  "fire weeders" -- propane
powered contraptions that you use to burn out any
weed seed.  (You wheel along like a vacuum and
everything under the hood gets torched.) 

I wondered whether such heat also killed
beneficials in the soil, or whether those deeper
in the soil quickly repopulated the top layer
that was burned.  

Now that I think of burning as a tried and true
technique, I wonder again whether these fire
weeders, propane consumption aside, are a pretty
good idea.

Thoughts on the topic, anyone?

Thanks,

Rob
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