Blackberry bushes can grow very quickly in spring and summer and are very invasive. Even though the berries are edible and tasty, the bushes are very difficult to get rid of. This is a guide about getting rid of blackberry bushes.
I don't believe in herbicides, they kill far more life than those intended. So, confronted with a backyard threatened to be comsumed, and deciding to limit the destruction. I bought and borrowed some good cutting instruments, both long reaching and shorter, sharp shovel, heavy duty gloves, old tough jeans & high boots. These last items limit the damage to you, as the bushes want a taste of you (defense on the plants part).
Taking a small area at a time, I cut as much as I could starting at the top, then cutting smaller sections, until the bottom. Then using the shovel, digging them up with more cutting as necessary. If reversing (bottom to top) is easier on you, do it. All the cut material can be mulched at the site or in a compost pile. Shred into small bits if possible.
You might contact a local nursery or plant group to see if anyone wants the roots or rooting plants. You might even make money! This is probably not a one weekend project.
The benefits are: You are rid of blackberries. You are being in touch with your yard and nature. You know you are keeping the world clean of poisons (herbicides do some very nasty things to other living beings after it leaves your property). It is excellent exercise and personal stress release.
Cursing in low tones recommended unless alone, though ocassional yells can bring help! Please keep in mind, the Good points about these plants. There are many. Good luck!
I just moved into my property and the back garden is full of blackberry bushes. How can I kill the roots permanently?
By Annette from the UK
By frugalsunnie
02/06/2012
I moved to north east Scotland in 2010 and have spent the last two years trying to get all the blackberry canes out of my front garden where I don't want any kind of berries growing. I love brambles and have a patch in the back garden, but the front is for kerb appeal! So the minute I see a cane waving at me, I trace it to the ground and dig it out trying very hard to get every last bit of root.
I'm an American expat so I am still learning about gardening here in the UK, but I'm sure there is an herbicide I could spray to kill off the lot. However, there are other plants in that spot that I do want to encourage, so I hand dig the canes.
You might try asking at one of the garden centres what they recommend for killing off a large growth. Otherwise, the only way to get rid of this is by hand digging, and then staying on it every time you see a new cane. (Handy hint-wear stout gloves!)
It will take you a while to hand dig them all out, and even then you'll have to be vigilant because the birds will bring you pressies, lol, and you'll find you have volunteers of all sorts of thing:) Too bad they won't drop me off any raspberries, darn it-I had to buy those to plant in the back garden!
I live in the Pacific Northwest where blackberry bushes can be a real pain to get rid of. I just moved into a house that had a backyard full of them.
Does anyone know how to kill off wild blackberry vines? I'm getting overrun. This bush is growing out of a tree stump that we can't get to.
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