Bramble horror!!!!!

**veggiechicken** · 08-01-2013, 01:16 PM

Hi Shellie and welcome. I'm clearing brambles too and its a painful business. The best way is to get some long handled pruners/loppers and cut down as much as you can. I leave about a foot above ground, just enough to get a grip on - with heavy duty gloves! Where the tips of the brambles have rooted you may be able to pull these out by hand. Otherwise, use a fork to loosen the soil around the roots and dig them out. Its very satisfying when you clear a patch

**redser** · 08-01-2013, 01:25 PM

A rented petrol strimmer might be an idea if it's really bad. But there'll be some diggin later on. Cant get round the diggin

**Thelma Sanders** · 08-01-2013, 01:33 PM

Indeed, dig as much root out as you can - cos I found that every bit left behind tried to grow again - well it seemed like it at the time

**Aberdeenplotter** · 08-01-2013, 02:22 PM

Originally posted by redser View Post

A rented petrol strimmer might be an idea if it's really bad. But there'll be some diggin later on. Cant get round the diggin

A strimmer won't even mark bramble stems unless fitted with a brushcutting blade. As VC has mentioned, the best tool to use is a set of long handled loppers. With them you can cut the stems into manageable bits and clear your feet as you go. It will be a tedious job but once you have the top growth cleared, the stumps and roots are easily removed with a garden fork.

**PyreneesPlot** · 08-01-2013, 02:51 PM

Hello, welcome and good grief!

We had a 2mx2m bramble patch - long handled secateurs, fork and then the lawnmower to stop any that came back up.

Would love to see a photo out your back door - it must be quite a sight!!

**redser** · 08-01-2013, 03:02 PM

Originally posted by Aberdeenplotter View Post

A strimmer won't even mark bramble stems unless fitted with a brushcutting blade. As VC has mentioned, the best tool to use is a set of long handled loppers. With them you can cut the stems into manageable bits and clear your feet as you go. It will be a tedious job but once you have the top growth cleared, the stumps and roots are easily removed with a garden fork.

Yes, actually a brush cutter is what I meant

**Aberdeenplotter** · 08-01-2013, 03:43 PM

I've had more than a few jobs to do clearing tangles of brambles.The problem with doing it using machinery is that the machine operator needs someone to be constantly clearing his feet of cut material otherwise his feet get tangled up and it then becomes even more of a health and safety issue. I have on occasion used my hedgetrimmer[Industrial Stihl) but again having to clear the cut materials is the problem.

**shellie** · 08-01-2013, 04:44 PM

Thank you

Thank you all, Yes it's that bad 13x70x4ft high haha, I'll have to buy a padded suit to even step out the door xx

**shellie** · 08-01-2013, 04:49 PM

We won't be moving till the end of February, so will put photo up then x
Photos are in my profile, had trouble getting them on the thread lol

**veggiechicken** · 08-01-2013, 04:56 PM

My bramble outfit is wellies, thick jeans, a big old waxed jacket and rigger's gloves. Watch your eyes too as some of the branches can be a bit whippy

Push open your back door as far as you can and get snipping! Once you've reduced the height it will look so much better. You may find that a lot of it is just long suckering branches and in between will be clear patches. Make sure you have a way of disposing of the cut brambles too. I cut them small enough to go in the Council green waste bin but you may not have that option.

**mothhawk** · 08-01-2013, 07:13 PM

If you don't have access to a couple of goats to eat the top growth, and a pig to help with the roots, then see if you can find a hire shop that hires out walk-behind brushwood mowers - like a rotary mower, but they cut anything from rough grass to brambles to young saplings

Scroll down on this webpage to see a flail mower.

It depends where you are of course, as to what hire companies are near you.

edit: and a warm welcome to the vine, shellie!

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**redser** · 08-01-2013, 08:06 PM

Originally posted by shellie View Post

We won't be moving till the end of February, so will put photo up then x

If you can manage it try to get stuck in before new growth starts, save you work!

**Two_Sheds** · 09-01-2013, 03:38 AM

A good quarter of my lotty was covered in brambles when I got it.

After cutting off the topgrowth with secateurs, I used a good quality fork to lever the roots out, and a good pruning saw to cut the roots into manageable pieces. No digging as such, just saw and lever.

I burned the dry bits, the soft bits I chopped up into 6" lengths and put in the compost heaps.

I did it little and often (a couple of hours a day, several days a week) and very soon had a workable bit of ground.

Take before n after photos. Feb 08 Allotment - a set on Flickr

It's very satisfying work

**Newton** · 09-01-2013, 07:21 AM

Originally posted by PyreneesPlot View Post

Would love to see a photo out your back door - it must be quite a sight!!

I was just thinking the same. Take before and after photos..........and post them please

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