Sulphur Candles?

[Peter]

Much delayed starting in the cold greenhouse this year and finally builders have finished and the portaloo across the door has gone.
So I cleared the winter detritus and lit a sulphur candle this eveninf once the vents had closed.
Opened the paint tin holding the "candle" and following instructions unearthed the end of the yellow touchpaper from the "lentils" of sulphur and lit it.

It burnt down to the sulphur and went out.

Tried again, same result.

Any suggestions on getting it to light properly?

[Alison]

I had this happen one year - OH solved the problem by means of a blow torch............

On a more safe note, make sure that you pull the paper wick out up some distance out of the sulphur as that seems to help.

[Peter]

Tried the blowtorch tonight, not sure it worked, but had to retreat due to fumes. Blue flickering flame seemed to go out.

[Alison]

Always do mine at night too as the first time I did it in the daytime the smoke scared the neighbours and am sure they thought my greenhouse was on fire! This year, lit it at dusk but when I checked a bit later, no smoke and it had gone out. Pulled the wick out a bit more and relit. Didn't think it had taken but the tin was fully burnt out the next day so must have been fine. Just remember to give a damned good airing before you put anything back in!

[balliol]

just a question. What is a sulphur candle and what does it do? obvously from the question you can see I havent done it and am now panicing!

[Alison]

Basically they fumigate your greenhouse, you don't have to use them but I find them a good idea at the start of the season to make sure that I don't have a house full of undesirables.

[srodders]

Just remember to give a damned good airing before you put anything back in!

including yourself - they certainly make the eyes water

[Peter]

Tried the blowtorch lighting method.

Hmmmm.

Anyone want a nice solid lump of sulphur, slightly charred on the top and in a nice protective tin?

[timemellowed]

Sulphur candle

Hi
I am totally new here but am finding this forum a fantastic source of knowledge... much better than books.

Where do you get sulphur candles from?

And will it get rid of any tomato blight spores that have been left over the last 2 years?

[Alison]

Sulphur candles are available at garden centres and I think I've seen them in DIY shops too but might be wrong on that one.

[SarzWix]

If you can't find them in your local GC, a quick Google turns up a few. This is the cheapest I've found; Greenhouse Sulphur Candle

[timemellowed]

thanks

thank you very much. such quick responses!

[Basher]

I had exactly the same problem this morning with a sulphur candle. I lit it after removing the lid, the wick smoldered for 5 mins and then it went out. After leaving the greenhouse for an hour to vent, I tried again. This time I loosened up all the sulphur granules (which previously had been quite solid, probably because the can had been stood for a long time) and repositioned the wick. Second time round it has stayed lit and is happily fumigating away.

A few things to note -
I spent a lot of time at the garden centre looking for something which looked like a candle, but eventually I found one and it came in a can, a bit like a small pot of paint.
The fumigating time is 12 hrs.
The fumes are produced fairly instantly and are incredibly horrible if you get a breathful. I did and spent 20 mins wheezing and coughing. Be careful if you are asthmatic or have breathing problems.