Weeds/Thorns

brownbinman

Hi all

Anyone know what type of weed/thorn this is and more importantly how to kill it, growing at a rate not happy with and would like to get rid of it

I have one of those pump weed sprayers from Lidl so was thinking getting nice and close to avoid the weed killer getting on other plants/flowers

Thanks in advance

my3cents

Brambles. Roundup will do the job but you can normally cut them back and dig them out.

looksee

It depends on how many there are and how accessible the roots are. Generally if you have other stuff growing the brambles get so up close with the plants that its difficult to dig out the roots. I have the same issue (mine are mostly 'cultivated' blackberries that have gone wild) and what we are doing is cutting off the top growth then next year as the new growth starts to come up vigorously you can spot spray it - where you can see the individual plants. You may have to do it a couple of times but you will get rid of them.

CelticRambler

I've cleared about an acre of bramble infested ground without ever using any kind of spray. Cut them back with whatever cuttery-things you've got, I use a mixture of scythe, machete, slash-hook, hedge-trimmer, lops, strimmer and secateurs depending on what area I'm working on.

Before I started, I rememeber Bob Flowerdew on BBC R4's Gardeners' Questiontime saying it'd take about three years to persuade the feckers to not bother growing back, and that's pretty much how it's worked out. The first year is the worst, especially if you're trying to avoid killing/ripping out other plants; after that, it's a question of keeping an eye on the area and cutting the new growth back to ground level once, twice or three times a year.

Note: spraying might kill the brambles, but it won't remove the stems or the thorns, so you'll still have to do all the cutting and clearing at some point. Either way, if you keep the stems and let them dry out, they're absolutely brilliant for getting a really hot fire going quickly.

brownbinman

Thanks folks. Think I'm on the right track of climbing into them and snipping them near the roots. They're wrapping around other plants so wanted to be sure before I started with pesticides

my3cents

You can also paint the stumps with roundup. I think there is even a product for the exact purpose.

https://www.deesidecountrystore.ie/home/271-roundup-tree-stump-killer-250ml.html really just an expensive way to by glyphosate.

Graces7

brownbinman wrote: »

Thanks folks. Think I'm on the right track of climbing into them and snipping them near the roots. They're wrapping around other plants so wanted to be sure before I started with pesticides

I did this nearly 2 years ago here with a bramble infested patch and have only just had to cut any new growth back and it is minimal. I think I cut below the main stem branch.

drunkmonkey

I've got them somewhat under control after about 4yrs my 50 meter leylandii is riddled with brambles this year though, there's millions of blackberries just about ready to harvest not sure what to do with them, am I really going to make jam or should I just star killing them all.

CelticRambler

drunkmonkey wrote: »

there's millions of blackberries just about ready to harvest not sure what to do with them

Make blackberry crumble and freeze it. :cool:

Lumen

I got a bowl full of fruit today off a new incursion of brambles in one small bed.

They may be vicious bastards but they're more productive than my carefully tended fruit trees!

looksee

I have loads of blackberries in my 'new' but neglected garden...not very fond of blackberries though so no point doing anything with them.