Portable Unit Kills Weeds With Steam

Portable Unit Kills Weeds With Steam CROPS Weed Control 33-4-27 "The Green Steam machine is our response to the growing need for an alternative to chemicals to kill weeds," says Aaron Rittenhouse, marketing manager for Rittenhouse, a Canadian company that sells landscaping and gardening equipment and tools. "It's especially useful along driveways, parking lots, and buildings." Green Steam kills weeds with 660-degree Fahrenheit steam. The self-contained unit mounts on a wheeled cart that holds the 56-in. stainless steel steam thrower gun, a 7-gal. water tank, a 20-lb. propane bottle and a deep cycle battery. The battery operates a 100-PSI water pump and the propane heats the water that runs through coils and comes out as steam when the trigger is pulled. It has three different heat settings, depending on what you're trying to kill. The steam gun is heavy, supported by a wheel that keeps it close to the ground. The gun covers a 3-in. application area, and most weeds only require one application. Steam doesn't affect plants with bark, so it's safe to use around trees with a 6-in. or greater diameter. Typical customers are municipal maintenance workers, Rittenhouse says. Besides killing weeds along paved areas, the steam removes moss and other items such as bubblegum, and it cleans stones and bricks. Warehouse and greenhouse owners use Green Steam to sterilize metal benches and shelves, as well as to kill weeds along hard ground pathways. The cart model sells for $4,975. Rittenhouse sells a skid model for the back of a pickup or utility vehicle for $4,290 for golf courses and large parks. The battery and propane tank are not included. A 20-lb. tank of propane lasts about 8 hours and the 7-gal. water tank goes for about three hours. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Rittenhouse, Rt. 3, 1402 4th Ave., St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 6P9 (ph 800 461-1041; www.rittenhouse.ca).

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