steam

At the entrance to the castle there is a gardener with a large machine on a trailer behind a small tractor. He is holding a long pole with a wide nozzle on it, the machine rumbles intermittently and the nozzle spouts clouds of steam. Think of Saint George, he would have drawn his sword. That machine would have been a perfect fit for his favourite prey profile.

Watch for a while, there are puddles at the corners of the buildings where the  nozzle had been steaming. It seems to be a way of getting rid of the weeds. When the gardener has stopped working on the section he was busy steaming go over and ask him how this works. He is a helpful and friendly young man, he explains that it is really nothing but hot water, literally boiling hot, that is sprayed on the weeds under pressure. This causes the upper foliage to be destroyed, and cauterises the roots of the plants, especially the grass, slowing regrowth. They tested numerous machines, and chose the one with the lowest water consumption

He says it works well on most weeds, but for the dandelion. The dandelion needs to be hoed. He says it is generally better than using a hoe to remove the grass and weeds, as this instrument leaves open soil behind ready for any seeds that may come along. He also says that it is generally better than chemical methods which have all kinds of unwanted side effects.

Thank him, and carry on with the walk, the next stop will be at the viewpoint on the other side of the castle wall.