Hi folks
I've looked through the forum but can't find anything about this but it may well have been discusssed previously. I'm covered in scratches having gone head to head with blackberry bushes at the weekend. Making some headway with them but what is the best thing to do with the roots? The grass underneath is very tufty and the land has not been cultivated before I dont think. I'd like to cultivate it to grow a few fruit trees on this particular strip of land. What is the best way to prepare the land? Can anyone advise me please
living, learning, growing
they are a nightmare to remove, I cut them down as close to the ground as possible then dig up as much as I can and burn them. The smallest piece will regrow. I can never get all the root but keep doing this each winter and cut them back as often as possible. I am renovating an old French farmhouse and the garden/land was over run with brambles and Ivy. I wanted to get a couple of pigs to clear it but OH said he would divorce me if he came home to find pigs in the garden! He is convinced they smell bad!
I guess roundup would be an option but I try to stay chemical free
Trying to enjoy life as it is
Pigs can sure dig up roots and about another foot down if they feel like it, I know we have wild boar on our land. It does depend on what you want to do with the land afterwards. Often the best way to clear something if you don't need to use it for a couple of years is to cover it with something like an old carpet " preferably hessian backed carpet, otherwise you end up with lots of loose stringy fibres from past experience. You will probably have to weight it down to stop the blackberries growing back through it, I know they are quite determined. Although Kate may have better ideas
Thanks all, I love the idea of a wild boar or 2 but this is probably unlikely. I wonder what else I could grow which might compete with the regrowth.
I guess the carpet is most likely although as this strip of land is down at the workshop and not at the allotment I guess I might go for the chemical option although would rather not.
I wonder if I could borrow some pigs from a local farmer for a day, hmmmm
Toffeeapple, who's Fiona?
Joanna, who's kate?
I dont know who is who yet, thanks
living, learning, growing
Don't worry, you'll get there, just stick with us and have a giggle along the way
I'm Kate.
Well, I was when I last looked.
Blackberry roots are a pain- allegedly, if you cut them down repeatedly to below ground level, they get fed up and die.
I have not found this to be true.Possibly I just haven't been doing it for enough years, maybe it takes more than 7.
Forking them up is the only non-chemical solution.
Or a pig.
Kateuk makes things at http://www.etsy.com/shop/finkstuff and sometimes she does this too http://www54paintings.blogspot.com/ and also this http://finkstuff.weebly.com/
I don't have much of a problem with blackberry roots as such, but there's a plant across the alleyway from our back garden and it keeps growing over the fence, across the alleyway and under our fence, so I keep finding long spiky branches hiding in the garden! I'm glad I have a thick pair of gloves and some sharp secateurs.
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