Bramble Advice

karlitob

Hi all

What’s the beat way to remove and clear brambles.

I’ve a jungle out the back. The brambles are very thick and very thorny. Think Indiana Jones in the Amazon.

I don’t want to sound like a wuss but I’m getting scratched to bits and I’ve pierced myself a million times. I’ve got good gloves on.

What’s the best way to handle, remove and destroy ‘eg burn’.

Thanks in advance.

knipex

You either cut them back and dig them out, then watch closely for regrowth and deal with it when (not if) it occurs.

or

Spray, wait a couple of weeks and cut them back.

Flipperdipper

knipex wrote: »

You either cut them back and dig them out, then watch closely for regrowth and deal with it when (not if) it occurs.

or

Spray, wait a couple of weeks and cut them back.

Or leave them alone, great shelter for wildlife and a major source of pollen and necter for the honey bee.:)

knipex

Flipperdipper wrote: »

Or leave them alone, great shelter for wildlife and a major source of pollen and necter for the honey bee.:)

True.. And I have a section of my garden left over-gown with nettles and brambles for this reason

BUT

If that's what the OP wanted then he would not have asked how to remove them..

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Flipperdipper wrote: »

Or leave them alone, great shelter for wildlife and a major source of pollen and necter for the honey bee.:)

Not if they have invaded an overgrown back garden that you want to use.

OP, sounds like spraying is the answer, provided there are no other plants or grass you want to rescue from the thicket.

magicbastarder

i'd be inclined to hack away anyway (with full length sleeves and eye protection) at them; regardless of whether you spray or not, you'll still have to deal with the thorns. a standard electric garden hedge trimmer should help reduce the bulk drastically without leaving you looking like you've been dropped in a bag full of cats.

Harry Palmr

Shears and a rake and someone to help, pull - chop - clear then as you get down to the floor, hack at the soil at the root and remove. As said be ready to pounce when the ones you miss (and you will miss plenty) sprout afresh. Brambles turn fragile when they dry out so if you are sensible you'll leave them in a pile and wait before chopping them into short bits for disposal.

Bullocks

A long handled slash hook to cut and pull them and maybe a fork to move them into piles

knipex

Bullocks wrote: »

A long handled slash hook to cut and pull them and maybe a fork to move them into piles

This.

Spray, wait a couple of weeks ans this..

karlitob

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Shears and a rake and someone to help, pull - chop - clear then as you get down to the floor, hack at the soil at the root and remove. As said be ready to pounce when the ones you miss (and you will miss plenty) sprout afresh. Brambles turn fragile when they dry out so if you are sensible you'll leave them in a pile and wait before chopping them into short bits for disposal.

Thanks for that. This is what I’ve kinda been doing so great to be on the right track. Just hoped there was some magic method that I missed.

I’ll start chopping high and work my way down so it’ll be chopped before I clear and then leave it in a pile to dry out before disposal.

And thanks to everyone else for your advice and time replying. Spraying is not an option - I’m off for the week so gotta get as much cleared as possible.

magicbastarder

knipex wrote: »

This.

Spray, wait a couple of weeks ans this..

as mentioned though, spraying won't make much difference to the actual clearance job.

Lumen

It's a horrible job. The right tool is a JCB and a diesel shredder.

You'll be at it a very long time with shears.

With a slash hook you can cut low and pull from a safer distance. But you'll still have a big pile to dispose of.

I still have scars on my legs from doing this two years ago.

monkeynuz

Cow horn stihl brush cutter with mulching kit. Or just do it by hand.

karlitob

monkeynuz wrote: »

Cow horn stihl brush cutter with mulching kit. Or just do it by hand.

I have a fairly powerful brush cutter - Honda UMK434 (I think) 26cc 4 stroke.

Clears brilliantly but none of them really mulch very well so I tend to use the strimmer line.

recedite

Suit of armour and a two-handed sword.

monkeynuz

karlitob wrote: »

I have a fairly powerful brush cutter - Honda UMK434 (I think) 26cc 4 stroke.

Clears brilliantly but none of them really mulch very well so I tend to use the strimmer line.

Mulching blade clears and smashes the stuff up.

If you have a conventional three sided blade then try the swatting technique, that will help to mulch but still not as good as the mulching blade.

karlitob

monkeynuz wrote: »

Mulching blade clears and smashes the stuff up.

If you have a conventional three sided blade then try the swatting technique, that will help to mulch but still not as good as the mulching blade.

Will look into it. Thanks for advice.