The UWSP Facility Services - Grounds Work Unit recently purchased a Steam Weeder with Green Fund resources. The Steam Weeder looks like a vacuum cleaner with a long hose that superheats water up to 250 degrees. The saturated steam kills weeds by bursting plant cells, without frying woody mulch like flame weeding does.
This machine uses a unique combination of boiling water and saturated steam at low pressure. When weeds are hit, they are cooked instantly, leaving behind a chemical-free mulch for soil organisms to feed on. As a result, the soil health improves over time.