Clearing Black Berry Vines

[Frostyford]

I've got about 1/4 acre to clear that is filled with black berry vines. I've been able to cut some with my weed eater; but cleanup is a real nightmare getting the cuttings in the chipper. I'm seriously looking at a brush hog now. Can you back that in and drop it on vines and it will take them out?

OK, magically I get them cut down. I want to pull the roots out in prep for pasture lawn grass. What's the best method? I know the rototiller won't cut it, as I'm off to get a new shear bolt for it (oops). The box scraper seams to be doing better, but haven't dropped the points down to full depth. Any other way besides a shovel..."see honey....This is why I needed the BX24 with the backhoe". What I have in my arsenal is:
BX2350, 60mmm, 6' rear blade, 54" boxblade(loven' that), FEL, 48"tiller, post hole digger.

Any suggestions?
Frostyford (Scott)

 

[randy41]

plow it up

 

[Egon]

If you have a mower mow it. Then take off the tines on the two outer rotatiller flanges and see how it goes.

Attchment will show some I've mowed and then rotattilled. What you will see is a little island of blackberry surrounded by cultivated ground.

 

[Cord]

Spray them with round up and wait a couple of weeks. Now come back with the brush mower and mow the canes down. After a few passes things should be pretty well diced. If the trash bothers you, then come back with a landscaping rake and drag the debris into a pile for burning. The canes will burn nicely come spring.

 

[Frostyford]

We'll, I guess I'm on the right track sort of. I choped the main stalks down to where I can get my mower over them. I'm using my old push/power assist mower like a brush hog. It's amazing what that cheap 5HP MTD will do after 10 years of babying in track home world. Now it's in the country and getting beat hard.

Once I have them down to a manageable state for mowing, then I'll round up them and some how plow it up.

Thanks guys.

Frostyford (Scott)

 

[California]

Don't expect miracles. 90 years of plowing and in later years, disking, in this ancient orchard, and occasional blackberry bushes still come up in the disked lanes each year. I think disking just cuts up the root clumps into several pieces which all sprout. I've seen multiple taproots 24 inches deep under one root cluster.

The old farmers around here say the only thing that works is apply Roundup to the individual plants once in late summer when they are parched and will suck it in, or later just before winter dormancy. And in dry weather only since you want the Roundup to be the only moisture the plant receives.

 

[SteelDust]

I've found Crossbow (2-4D based herbicide) to work far better and much faster on blackberries than Round Up. Also, be aware that the Round Up pattent is now up and much cheaper generic equivalents, with surfactants added, are now on the market.

I cut down the vines by mowing were I can. A gas hedge trimmer works wonders on areas that can't be mowed or on areas where the vines are 8' tall. Once the now much smaller new vines start to grow well I spray them in late summer, when it's dry, with Crossbow. I then wait until the leaves have fallen off to ensure the entire pant is dead to the root. After that, mow again, then rake, and till. You may have to spray new growth in the spring for a couple of years to completely eliminate them.

 

[john_bud]

The old farmers around here say the only thing that works is apply Roundup to the individual plants once in late summer when they are parched and will suck it in, or later just before winter dormancy. And in dry weather only since you want the Roundup to be the only moisture the plant receives.

Huh?? Roundup works best in the early spring when the plant is most actively growing. The poison is incorporated into the root and the PLANT dies. Other times of the year, when there is little to no active growth only the leaves you sprayed will die. The plant will happily re-sprout to annoy you again.

 

[Farwell]

John,
My experience with Roundup and berry bushes pretty much agrees with California's method. I do spray them in the Spring when they are in their most actively growing cycle but if I want the bushes gone I have found that during dry spells and late in the year does the most damage to them as long as the bush has plenty of leaves.
Farwell

 

[PBinWA]

FEL with a toothbar works great. Drive up to them and drop the bucket down and back out. It will tear out huge clumps.

Once you have the high stuff down you can mow it all with a brush hog.

In the spring you can kill it off with Round-Up or 2-4-D. Or as I do - both. You need to spray them when they are just starting to grow as others have stated. In the mean time mow everything really short as that will help.

Once you have killed everything off (Round-up takes a week or so to really work well) you should plow/till and re-seed as quickly as possible so the good stuff gets a chance to establish before the BB's come back.

After, that you will need to use 2-4-D at least once a year (spring and fall is good).

You also need to burn or dispose of the vines as Black Berries can regenerate from cuttings. They propagate like crazy: seeds, roots, and vine cuttings.

Time and persistence.