Removing bramble roots ........ the easy way?

I'll soon need to start digging up a lot of well established bramble roots, probably over 100 of the blighters. I need to get them out ASAP too.

I could resort to a spade and fork, maybe a mattock, but short of hiring some kind of mini-digger is there a tool out there which would make the job a lot easier on my back and assorted muscles?

I don't even mind forking out a bit of money on some kind of powered tool if such a thing exists for digging out bramble roots.

 

Personally I'd use a mattock as I've found brambles to be relatively shallow.

 

There's no 'easy' way, you just have to dig them out with a hand tool. If you leave any bits in the ground they will grow back. They have shallow roots so it shouldn't be too difficult for you, and a Mattock as suggested by @NigelJ would be a good tool to use.

 

If its a large area and time is not pressing I think I'd cut down all the brambles and then rotavate the area, then zap all the new bramble shoots that come up with glyphosate around June time.
Nothing stopping you removing as much root as you can during the rotavating process.
If not, I agree, there is no easy way.

 

Thanks for all of the helpful replies.

 

I've got the same job coming up. I use a very sharp spade to lift and slice, whilst pulling with well-gloved hands to get as much root out as possible. If they do re-sprout, they'll get the glyphosate treatment. Before @pete says 'isn't glyphosate banned in France', yes it is, but not in Spain You'd be amazed how many weedy drives and fallow fields round here are turning a pretty shade of orange

 

I have bought a Root Slayer spade and trowel. The sides have very jagged edges which cut thru weed roots and the blade itself is narrower than a normal spade or trowel and very sturdy. They are great for removing weeds and roots altho I find that brambles are also fairly easy just to pull by hand if the soil is moist.

Trouble is, we have droughts here and the soil, tho fertile and loamy in our veg plot and main beds, can set like rock when we get hot and dry spells and I've had to have both arthritic knees replaced in the last 2 years. OH scoffed at first but is now converted and is a fan of "his" rootslayers.

 

Thanks, I do have a pointed serrated spade now but it's wider than the root slayer and also only serrated on one edge. It works quite well but I think a root slayer may be better.

Hope the knees are doing okay.

 

I use a digging hoe, I've got a full size one and a mini one. This is a good time to do it whilst the ground is soft from all the rain.

 

Hi @TheMadHedger - knees doing well thanks tho the second one is slower to heal and I still can't kneel except on a comfy bed - mattress,not veg or flowers. Haven't done any real gardening since a pre-op blitz last June and it has rained almost every day since mid October so the weeds are having a fine time.

The trusty root slayers will be put to good use if ever it stops raining enough to let the mud dry a bit. Even the chooks have retreated to the polytunnel.

 

I bought a Chillington hoe during lockdown, but didn’t get much use out of it. I’ve been removing brambles by pulling them wearing cheap red suede welding gloves ( I get mine from Screwfix) and loosening the roots with my mini mattock. However, my back has been complaining about having to bend over, so I fished out the hoe and had a go with that. It really did the trick. I’m not supposed to be doing heavy lifting, but the hoe is quite easy to wield. Also known as an Azada?

 

I think that the roots on my pervasive, tough brambles would break my hoe, but thanks for the advice.

 

This is what I meant. It’s a heavy duty cultivator.