What have I done?!

[PotteringAtPlot12]

Thanks again all! Certainly feeling a lot more positive! It's one of those where I thought I knew what I was greeting myself into but I didn't fully appreciate the size of the task at hand,a tad overwhelming when you're completely new to it all but with the advice & encouragement on here I'm sure we'll do fine!

Sorry if you know already but with blackberries what you are looking for is the knobbly fat bit of root, normally a few inches below the surface. If you cut the roots below this with secateurs/loppers/small saw and dig the nobbly bit out then the other roots will rot off and not re-sprout. It can be anything from a plum size to about the size of a fist. The suckers will have smaller roots if they are this years.

Then you only have to dig out the roots where you want to plant and hopefully will be rotting away by the time you need to do that.

Agree with others, slow and steady, accept all help offered. You’ve got loads of time yet to get bits ready for planting.

Once you have cleared an area get it covered, manure, cardboard, weed fabric, the main thing is to keep the weeds down until you can plant something.

No I didn't know this thank you!

Can you get a brush cutter on it? Then you could cover as much as possible and uncover a section at a time to did out the bramble roots.
Good luck.

I'm going to ask to see if we can take the brambles out fully, it seems to have been put there on purpose & is around quite a few of the end patches as a boundary of sorts.

Good luck - I have fought about 8 metres of 2 metre deep brambles and won. It is possible - good luck!
Watch out for those thorns though...

Oh yes they definitely fight back don't they!

We popped down again yesterday for a couple of hours with children in tow so didn't get as much done as on Friday, but there was some progress none the less!



The small ones dug up the cabbages



We found the plot boundary (bricks) through the brambles!



Digging began, however the youngest was throwing as much roots & nasties as I was taking out so I'll be back to that on Monday when he's at school!

[Logunner]

Always remember it is a Marathon not a Sprint...

Compost as much as you can, you will be glad of it in the long run.

[Starch]

I have a 36v cordless hedge trimmer which works well on brambles and nettles etc. find the strimmer not man enough.

[Jungle Jane]

If the brambles were put there purposefully,is there a risk of thieves getting in? Also the aphids are an early food source for ladybirds,I�m mainly thinking of security though,plot looks lovely

[PotteringAtPlot12]

If the brambles were put there purposefully,is there a risk of thieves getting in? Also the aphids are an early food source for ladybirds,I�m mainly thinking of security though,plot looks lovely

Unfortunately, yes! In fact we're using some of the cuttings to seal up a gap in the fence some "lovely" people (not plot holders) are using to get in & out

Some more progress has been made, slowly but surely!



I went down today for a couple of hours with the main aim of clearing some ground to get the daleks set up. Mission accomplished!

[Can the Man]

Well done PAP, great to get the kids involved at an early age even if it takes a bit more patience and reworking what you’ve already done.

[PotteringAtPlot12]

Well done PAP, great to get the kids involved at an early age even if it takes a bit more patience and reworking what you’ve already done.

I can't fault his enthusiasm!

[Essexboy]

Good advice to clear bit by bit create a bed and get something growing, well spaced onions or similar so you can weed between them, you'll still get dormant seeds germinating.
When the weather improves a clearing party is always popular, a few bottles of wine/ beer jacket pots in the bonfire and all your mates round. Great fun, invite other plot holders too.
Best of luck keep posting the pics of progress

[PotteringAtPlot12]

Good advice to clear bit by bit create a bed and get something growing, well spaced onions or similar so you can weed between them, you'll still get dormant seeds germinating.
When the weather improves a clearing party is always popular, a few bottles of wine/ beer jacket pots in the bonfire and all your mates round. Great fun, invite other plot holders too.
Best of luck keep posting the pics of progress

Thank you!

Another weeks progress and we are finally starting to get ontop of the bramble forest! Mainly just the roots to get out now. We've made a start and had a few whoppers! Am I right in thinking as long as we get the knobbly bits out we should be OK with a little vigilance and checking every so often? I'm aware we'll have to look out for ones "planted" by the birds in future





We even managed to get a couple of rows of garlic in too

[Mr Bones]

Great that you're seeing some progress and already planting up PAP