Kill Thorn Bushes

TM1000

I have an old building near my house that is over grown with Thorn Bushes (at least 5-6 ft) what is the best way to kill them???

-Cant burn them as it would set fire to the building unearth it.
-If I coved the place with water during this cold weather with the frost kill the thorn bushes?

Also have apple trees which haven't being pruned in around 30 years they are overgrown but covered about 1 ft off the ground by thorn bushes, what's the best way to deal with them??

Any help/advice would be gratefully appreciated.

macraignil

Cut them up with clippers and laupers or secateurs, dig up roots and stack and burn away from the building when dried for a while using very protective gloves and clothes that wont get tangled in the thorns while you are working.

Ice does not kill brambles.

A slash hook if you can find one is fairly effective at chopping through brambles. The thorns make them awkward to handle so allow plenty of time to complete the job.

What height are the apple trees and do you know what variety they are? A picture might help visualize what they look like now.

Some old buildings are good roosting sites for bats so if you like conserving nature in your garden it might be worth checking if their are any other residents in the building before starting work.

Andy-Pandy

I try and limit herbicides as much as possible. But I make an exception to brambles. I've moved into a new house with a lovely garden but I all the existing Hedges have brambles going through them from my neighbours. The plan is to get some sbk brushwood killer and apply it to the leaves by wiping them with a cloth, I wouldn't risk Spraying it as it's strong stuff. I want them gone permanently.

monkeynuz

Andy-Pandy wrote: »

I try and limit herbicides as much as possible. But I make an exception to brambles. I've moved into a new house with a lovely garden but I all the existing Hedges have brambles going through them from my neighbours. The plan is to get some sbk brushwood killer and apply it to the leaves by wiping them with a cloth, I wouldn't risk Spraying it as it's strong stuff. I want them gone permanently.

Better to ask your neighbour to deal with them?

Andy-Pandy

monkeynuz wrote: »

Better to ask your neighbour to deal with them?

Ill take out as much as i can by hand but the garden has been unloved for years, ill use a selective herbicide application to get rid of the ones i cant get at. Unfortunately the hedges that they are growing through have very limited room even from my neighbours side and they are over a metre thick in places. I dont mind doing the work even if they are coming from my neighbours side.