OLDS — If you got steamed by all the weeds in your garden this year, you may be interested in a three-month experiment undertaken by the Town of Olds this year.
Town staff have been testing a machine that controls weeds by steaming them rather than applying chemicals. Results are expected to be released later.
Operations director Scott Grieco highlighted the project during a town council meeting. He said the municipality is renting the unit and will have it until the beginning of October.
“It’s really handy in the shrub beds, where it’s very, very labour-intensive to clean up the shrub beds," he said.
However, Grieco said the machine doesn’t kill the weeds with one pass. Two to three applications may be needed.
“It really does a good job at initial weeds,” he said. “When they do come back before the second application, we do notice that they come back within the next week and they come back even stronger and that’s the purpose for having to re-apply the system over the course of two to three applications.
“So we’ll hopefully be able to have some good results with this and report back next year on whether or not we procure a device that will help us deal with these weeds.”
"As a result of a particular wet spring the town decided to try the new technology on shrub beds and other labour-intensive areas that are difficult to maintain," Grieco wrote in an email to the Albertan.
In that email he indicated it might even take four treatments to control the weeds, especially the invasive ones.
Benefits of the machine include being able to use it in wet and windy conditions "which is a challenge with our ever-changing weather events," he wrote. "Using spray application requires optimal weather conditions for effectiveness."
Coun. Wanda Blatz said she saw staff using the machine this summer while she was out for a walk.
“They actually kind of gave me a demonstration in the area they were working with and it really is effective. It is working very, very well,” Blatz said.
“Again, some of those have come back, but as you said, a couple of more applications of this, it should really work. And we’re not using any harsh chemicals or herbicides or anything out and about, so I thought that was really great."
Coun. Darren Wilson also expressed interest in the project and looks forward to seeing a report on how well it worked.
“(I’d be) interested to see if that translates into any reduction in summer student hiring as far as weeding and everything goes.” Wilson said.
