Brambles

I have recently bought a house with a large garden full of brambles. I need to get rid of them but am not sure of the best way. Digging the roots out is out of the question, and they are too thick for a strimmer.  Does anyone know of a product or a way to get rid of them.

You have my commiserations, I'm in the same boat, and posted a similar thread a few weeks ago to see if there was a miracle cure.  Unfortunately you are in for a LOT of hard work.

The general consensus of opinions is the best way is to chop off the top growth and then dig out the roots, that's the only way you will get rid of them.  Come spring, when the dratted things start actively growing again, you can spray them with glyphosate, wait for them to die & dry out, and burn the new growth (in a suitable dustbin type incinerator, otherwise you risk burning your entire garden, plus neighbours fences, which won't make you very popular!  Then it's down to digging out the roots, I'm afraid.

Invest in some decent gloves, and wear a close-fitting jumper to protect your arms (loose and you'll get tangled by thorns).  I find the easiest way of dealing with them is to take some telescopic loppers and chop the buggers off about an inch above ground (so I can see where to dig), drag out the resulting growth, chop it into two-foot lengths and feed it to my dusbin burner.  I'm disabled and have two small children, so you will probably finish clearing before me.  It's strangely theraputic though, and you will see a (small) difference  after a couple of hours.  I hate brambles, even when dead the dratted things can still draw blood (make sure your tetanus is up to date!).

When I find time I will post some photos of progress.  The entire back garden still looks like something out of Jurassic Park!

Have the same problem on my allotment. Have dug them out twice, well o thought i had. They are now growing up in other places in among my raspberry canes. Now that we have had some rain the groung will be soft enough to dig so will try again. Perseverance i think is the right word.

Little and often helps, and accept it will take you at least 12 months before you can be sure you've eradicated them all.  At least it's the right time of year to do it now (I started late summer), the winter will help kill off any bits of root you dig up.

Ive been digging it out for 5 years, i will keep on trying.

A mattock is the ideal tool for getting out bramble roots...

Do you really think i would be safe with one of those in my hands. I will keep on at them.

It's really hard work digging them out and you will always miss some. Chop them off however you can, then keep spraying off any new growth with weedkiller. It will grow back, but weaker each time

I've got one of those weed wand things, I'm tempted to try it with the smaller shoots in spring to see if it has any effect.  I won't try it now, as I'm afraid it would set fire to my garden and both neighbours fences.  I like my neighbours and want to stay friendly with them!

Depends where in the country you are for Glyphosate - in Yorkshire, the weather has turned decidedly wintry, with temperatures down fairly low, so it won't be long before we get the first frosts of the year.  If I remember correctly, as Glyphosate is a systemic weedkiller (killing the roots as well as the top growth), the plant needs to be in a state where it is actively growing.  In Yorkshire that is definitely NOT the case, it may be OK to use for a little while if you are 'darn sarf' somewhere  (like Cornwall!!), but only for the next few weeks.  I also have Glyphosate (the extra strong stuff that comes in the black packaging), but as the top growth is dying back anyway, I'd just be wasting it.

I am continuing to cut back this year's (and a previous few year's) growth over winter, and possibly use the glyposate on any new growth, I'm hoping to have a lot of the roots up by spring, and any new shoots will show me where I've missed.

Many thanks to all who have replied to my question re. brambles.  I find your replies very helpful.  I live in Brittany where plants are still growing so will give the Glyphosate a go.

Bye for now, Keith