Are you hoping to destroy weed seeds with the flame thrower? It all sounds a bit drastic and I doubt it will work.

I googled Blue Star Creeper as I had never heard of it and it sounds like the sort of plant that will have no trouble regenerating itself if you give it what it needs. Water. Let it do the rest.

Sounds like a nice grass substitute.

Is this your plant?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1892/
It does look like it would make an adorable lawn, as long as you don't walk around in it w/o shoes on, or have kids who would want to play out there (the skin irritation part.)

there are machines which I believe can be rented out to remove sod. That's one way. Second the only way one can be assured compost can be fully cleared of weedseeds is for it to be composted for more than a year. In the composting process- the materials heat up so such that weed seeds get killed.

I am aware in farms when they need to clear a patch of weeds, they cover that patch with black plastic sheets and prevent the new weeds from accessing the sun, plus because of the heat, it kills off the weeds.

The flame weeders will kill off the top growth of any unwanted plant it is passed over but that will not kill the unwanted plant roots and will not stop any "weed" seeds that may be blown in by the wind and dropped by birds, and the flame weeders use a non renewable resource, propane. A flame weeder, when used as directed, will not sterilize soil.

kimmq is kimmsr

Thanks, Kimmq! I've just written to a weed ecologist at UC Davis about this. I read an article ( http://www.garden.org/subchannels/landscaping/ground?q=show&id=77&page=1 ) that implies a possibilty that several treatments on water-saturated soil may do the trick. The water conducts the heat farther into the soil and kills sub-soil seedlings. You're probably right, but I have a glimmer of hope still. I really don't want to use chemicals and am not crazy about the idea of a rock garden.

Thanks Emerogork2(5) ! I will definitely look into your corrugated paper method. If I only had to deal with 10% of the weeds, I'd be in heaven!

How long does it take to heat water to a temperature high enough to kill "weeds"? To heat both the soil and the soil moisture high enough to kill any "weed" seeds would take several minutes of standing in one place, not just a relatively quick pass over of the torch.

kimmq is kimmsr

Boiling water is also a good idea. A car engine steam cleaner will work too. Simply cook the weed to death... Complications: You need 220v source and either long hose or a long 220v cable.

RE: Corrugated paper, It will stop most seeds from sprouting but strong established plants may still break through the barrier.

Tiffany, purpleinopp GardenWeb, Z8b Opp, AL(8B AL) Yes, the photo's from Dave's garden are the same ones I have. The photo on the far right is most like what my lawn used to look like with very abundant flowers.

then use a thick weed cloth.

Sterilizing the soil is a romantic but impractical notion. It's not possible to kill seeds of unwanted plants without also killing all of the important wildlife found in healthy soil. Very few plants will grow in "dead soil," and new seeds will blow in & be spread by various critters.

Smothering is much better, for preserving that. Whatever method one uses or starts with, unwanted plants will constantly be showing up. Without periodic patrols to pull them out while small and easy to pull, a "weed problem" will develop.

You may not think soil microbiology is interesting, but if you want great plants, you need great soil:

http://permaculturenews.org/2013/09/20/soil-not-dirt-dr-elaine-ingham-talks-soil-microbiology/

"Sterilizing the soil is a romantic but impractical notion."

Think Sahara Desert.....
Very romantic (: