clearing garden

[kevino]

Have cleared and old garden but the blackberries still keep coming up how do i get rid of them?
Bought an old property and told the garden "goes to the tree there" when we started clearing to the said tree the garden kept on going. Finally cleared the weeds which were up to my forehead (i am only 4ft 10) and still we kept going turned out we eventually ended up with 3/4 of an acre wot a bargain. Now trying to put in the veg plots and organising everything.

[MuddyWitch]

Sadly, I fear you might not like the answer ...the only way to clear brambles is to dig out their (extensive) roots. If you have loads then keep them well strimmed everywhere & just clear one patch at a time thoroughly. You say the land has been neglected for some time, so there will be the old roots and seedlings from last year's bird dropping seeds.

Whilst your 3/4 of an acre is to be envied, if you try to do it all in the first year you are setting yourselves up to fail. It is MUCH better to do one bit well, learn from that & take a bit more into cultivation as you grow in strength & knowledge.

If you are really rural you might seriously like to look into keeping a couple of pigs; there is no better animal for clearing weeds & turning them into bacon butties in the meanwhile. (Appologies if you are veggy/Jewish/Muslim)

The best thing to do in any garden is to ENJOY it, so 'little & often' is the best mantra.

Good Luck

MW

[grahamhobbs]

Agree with everything muddy witch said, only thing I can add.is blackberries do not like being mown, so allow an area you can't yet deal with just yet go to grass and just keep it well mown. If you keep it well mown it will be easy to convert to a veg patch later on.

[boboff]

I think first you have to cut them all back.

Then either cover with old Carpet, Cardboard Newspaper, or that black weave matting stuff, hold down with branches and stones - leave for at least 12 months, or spray with Herbaside Glysophate when the young shoots reappear, or get a pig or three.

You should as MW says only plan to actually cultivate a 1/3 or so in your first year, whilst perhaps putting in other strategies for the rest for the years to come.

Best of luck,

[Annpan]

What I did, with our 1/3 acre was to get a hold of as much old carpet as possible and cover up as much of the land as I could.

I worked on a section at a time and over the next 2 years I could move one bit of carpet at a time.

Got rid of most of the difficult weeds (or at least makes them weak enough that it is easier to dig them up
....Unfortunately I never did figure out a way of getting rid of slimy carpet that has been outside for 4 years....

[sarahkeast]

....Unfortunately I never did figure out a way of getting rid of slimy carpet that has been outside for 4 years....

Brilliant, thanks for the laugh . It does eventually fall to bits. Try and get the hessian backed stuff, it is slightly more degradable

[Thomzo]

....Unfortunately I never did figure out a way of getting rid of slimy carpet that has been outside for 4 years....

Do what I did and shove it at the bottom of a raised bed, under a compost heap or move it back to the bit of garden you thought you'd cleared three years ago.

Zoe

[bonniethomas06]

Goat goat goat goat! Will clear the brambles in no time.

And probably the slimy carpet!

[wulf]

In the States there is a company that hires out a herd of goats for the purpose of clearing ground (I remember seeing something about it a couple of years ago).

The problem with getting a goat is that you then have to sustain it once it has done its work. However, perhaps you could borrow one? (no idea where to find a local rent-a-goat though!).

Wulf

[Big Al]

....Unfortunately I never did figure out a way of getting rid of slimy carpet that has been outside for 4 years....

Brilliant, thanks for the laugh . It does eventually fall to bits. Try and get the hessian backed stuff, it is slightly more degradable

Using carpet is a good idea for weed supressant etc but don't forget that the coloured dyes used in the carpet can be toxic to the veg patch.

[Annpan]

Luckily the stuff I used was hessian backed neutral coloured.... not that I am saying it was the most earth-friendly option... but it wasn't foam backed and bright pink

I'll be needing some of it again but yes we have a large pile of stinky carpet behind the shed.


Carpet is less likely to eat your fruit bushes or your washing line than a goat is.... and if you have a local freecycle/freegle group then it should be easier to get a hold of.

[kevino]

well thanks everyone that has certainly given me food for thought.
About the goat though, I might get rid of the brambles but wot about all the goat droppings???

[Green Aura]

but wot about all the goat droppings???

Manure!!!!!!!

[Annpan]

And if you get a nanny goat you can have milk too

[oldjerry]

So goats clear brambles huh?................yeah,and they eat everything huh?.............They might eat the odd leaf,here and there,the only thing you can gaurantee is they'll eat what you want to keep.It's a classic rural myth. Cut the brambles down and with electric fencing,fold pigs over the area and they'll dig up the roots. Best Wishes.