Well, I *think* it's a better method because more disease organisms are destroyed , in place, rather than "shaken off" the leaves, as you pull them. (that would apply to bacteria, fungi, and insect eggs). Also, some weed seeds are destroyed, as well. I had always scattered fallen tree leaves, or straw, on the beds, and then burnt them, but, this year, I used a "torch"......I'm still "modifying" my system, though. I cut the plants back to 6", or so, rake out the leaf "tops', and then, in a few days, burn the beds. This is done in the late fall.....but, I see some "problems" with my system, so I think this next year I will wait to do the burn until we get home (usually mid-March). That's later than I'd like, but I don't think it's "too" late. I wouldn't even cut them back in the late fall if blown in tree leaves and trash were not such an issue here....between the blown in stuff, and the iris leaves themselves, that's a LOT of "mulch effect", and also a LOT of 'fuel" when it's time to burn.
One downside to my "fall" burning is the 6" leaf "stubs" are still green at the time I burn...so they don't burn off, just "singe", and just stay there, over winter, holding trash, and become VERY hard to deal with when the new growth starts....so a 'late winter", or "early spring" burn would eliminate that.
