Blackberry Removal

[Sonny580]

Round-up and mow will take care of them in a flash! ---got nasty stuff around here too and blackberries + raspberries, mulberry seedlings, etc. --- old Roundup did the trick along with mowing.
Had a neighbor hired a small dozer with a root rake on it and cleaned his up. now he just spot sprays with Round-up.

 

[Creamer]

What a wonderful crop of Blackberrries this year. The rain came a little too late for the black raspberries but the blackberries have been magnificent. I don't how you guys can tear them up - a little blackberry sauce in a hot cobbler with some vanilla ice cream - it just doesn't get much better than that!

 

[ArlyA]

Aren't crude oil and snake venoim organic, too?

Bruce

Mercury is also a "all natural" product. Still don't recommend its use.

 

[JasperFrank]

I am much happier after adopting a strategy of "take and hold." Each year we would pick out a small section and eliminate the berries and other brush. Then the ground has to be groomed so that it can be mowed. Now after 7 years, all the areas we want to be berry free are easily controlled just by mowing on the riding tractor. All the Store bought grass seed never took. It was a waste of money, But the areas that get routine mowing, repopulated with grass all on their own.

 

[Handloader109]

GOATS. The cheapest and best eliminator. They will eat every leaf in sight. The only thing that will totally elimate without killing everything or tremendous labor.....

 

[goeduck]

Himalayan blackberries the OP mentions (from europe) are in a world by themselves in the Pacific Northwest where they grow like crazy. I am in the same area as the OP. Our native blackberries are a nuisance. Himalayan berries are a nightmare. I have cleared acres of those devils. Dig out the root crowns, then mow and treat the new shoots.

Alternately, this works if you have the terrain, bulldoze about 1' of soil containing all the root crowns into a swale or low lying area. Then replant the dozed area. Regularly treat* the heck out of the swale and, as needed, the dozed area. Stay vigilant for at least 5 years.

*with Crosbow in the the FALL when the berries take the plant fluids back to the roots.

 

[K5lwq]

This is an older thread but I would think if you brought the PH in the soil up it would be easier to control the blackberries. Test the soil and then add lime to get it to a PH of 7 or so. Blackberries like slightly acidic ground around 5.5 to 6.5.

 

[Creamer]

Himalayan blackberries the OP mentions (from europe) are in a world by themselves in the Pacific Northwest where they grow like crazy. I am in the same area as the OP. Our native blackberries are a nuisance. Himalayan berries are a nightmare. I have cleared acres of those devils. Dig out the root crowns, then mow and treat the new shoots.

Alternately, this works if you have the terrain, bulldoze about 1' of soil containing all the root crowns into a swale or low lying area. Then replant the dozed area. Regularly treat* the heck out of the swale and, as needed, the dozed area. Stay vigilant for at least 5 years.

*with Crosbow in the the FALL when the berries take the plant fluids back to the roots.

Is that correct Himalayan Blackberries from Europe? Either way what is the difference between them and native blackberries. I do not know what we have, I just know they are good!

 

[goeduck]

Is that correct Himalayan Blackberries from Europe? Either way what is the difference between them and native blackberries. I do not know what we have, I just know they are good!

Well it depends. Native to Armenia and Northern Iran. From what I read, it was propogated in europe and then onto the US. Who knows, but it is invasive and a devil to remove. Himalayans are monsters where canes can grow 20 to 30 feet in a year. They tip root and go on from there. Root framents and berry seeds make it a triple threat. 1 inch diameter woody canes with Nasty thorns. Even if you kill the roots, the old dead canes last for years.

 

[cqaigy2]

I still don't bulldoze, or use roundup or crossbow or, etc. Just mow a couple years in a row and grass takes over.

Nor do i use plutonium oxide dust, another natural substance.