I am a newbie to gardening and have a garden full of brambles. I am slowly cutting back the brambles to clear garden space and would like to know if there is any easy way to remove the roots of the brambles or do i have to dig them out? The garden has not been maintained for years and is a bit of a wilderness.Is it possible to enclose a digital picture of the garden in this forum?
Bramble roots have to be removed as they are persistant, in other words any small piece left will regrow, often with renewed vigour. Digging them out is difficult as they often go a long way down. The easiest way is to use a translocatable weed killer. Roundup is one, but there are ones sold expecially for brambles and other woody material. Even then it takes a long time. We are still getting them now after 10 years of work. Trouble is birds keep bringing in more seeds as well. There is a thread on Member's photos on how to post pictures.
Thank you very much for your advice, when i was looking on the internet for the Roundup product I read an article saying that it can be harmful to tadpoles and frogs. As I have a pond in the garden I am concerned of the affects it will have on wildlife.
Glyphosphates will kill frogs etc and also many beneficial insects. However if applied carefully to the brambles Roundup does not leach into the soil and as long as applied in dry weather will not wash off after an hour. Have you any pictures yet? If the area isn't huge you'll probably find that if you cut down top growth the job does not look so insurmountable; perhaps you could then dig out roots and only treat regrowth, if necessary. If you have a shredder [and thorn proof gloves!] it will all make good compost.... [ 10. November 2005, 10:25 AM: Message edited by: Liz ]
Thank you for your advice Liz.....I hope to take some pictures of the garden/wilderness over the weekend. The garden is especially boggy this time of year and there are 3 large oak trees that absorb the wet in the summer months from about May onwards. Infact there are all sorts of trees and shrubs that badly need attention and hopefully some photo's might give anyone with advice a better idea. I want the garden to remain as natural as possible because the wildlife gives me as much pleasure as the garden itself. I would like to have a little veggie plot at some point when the brambles have gone......there is also a greenhouse which i am hoping i can salvage too so I must get busy with my camera and send some pictures in........I have seen some of the beautiful pictures that people have sent in for October & November and would be interested to know if the pictures were taken with a digital or 35mm camera
If you are going for a garden with lots of varied wild life (how I envy you and those oaks!) then perhaps you will find it in your heart to keep a little corner for some brambles even if you decide to plant a cultivar. Not only are they delicious with baked apple or ice cream but they are home to many insects that will attract birds etc. to your garden. On the subject of wild corners (and so's I get to sneak in yet more photos :rolleyes: ) Here's what can happen on a patch of common thistles when the sun comes out. Peacock: Techie note: Canon D60 6Mpix digital SLR, 75-300mm zoom lens AF mode 30th. August 2005
Hi michaelmasdaisy My web server is acting up at the moment : I've been on to them about the problem and they are trying to sort it out. All my images are down. They were definitely there last night when I posted and they should re-apear when it's fixed. Sorry for the (tempory I hope) blank spaces. :D (Actually I think it's an evil plot to stop me posting any more )
Would just like to add Laura, that those weedkillers only really work when the plants are growing strongly, so its really a job for next spring summer now. Unless you want to dig out what you can through the winter months.
