There is a blackberry runner, coming over the wall from nextdoor's garden, it has new shoots appearing on it.
I know how uncontrollable blackberry/bramble bushes can become, is it possible to leave it and hope it produces some blackberries, or can I take a cutting and try to get a controlled bush that way (in a pot maybe?), or should I just cut it down and forget about it?
My annoying neighbour allows brambles to root all over a bank alongside our gardens (and nettles and ground elder and everything else creeps through) and I did let them flower one year and got some fruit, but it didn't cheer me up as there are plenty of blackberries on the allotment site and elsewhere.
Usually I make a cross visit to his side once a year and hack them back a bit. I can't imagine encouraging it.....his has got very thick and strong, and it is a painful job cutting it back.
Do you know that it is good fruit? I suppose it might be worth taking some cuttings. I'd rather pick good wild ones myself, and not have to try to control the bushes.
One plant I do encourage is his grapevine, which have trained over our car port. I've also taken a cutting just in case he destroys his plant one day. The grapes are not wonderful for eating, but they are nice cooked with fish, or whizzed up in a blender as a refreshing drink.
If you know it is a good fruit/cultivated variety just put the tip into a bucket of compost, hold down with a brick and in a couple of months it will be rooted well and can be cut from the parent with secateurs... ( taking a tip rooted cutting) if it is an unknown quantity.... bin it. :-X
My blackberry suddenly puts down long pale divers in the autumn from the end of each branch which root when they touch the soil. It is not a case of trying to get new plants, it is a job trying to ensure that it does not produce any.
The birds brought it originally but it has magnificent large fruit with good flavour and born in trusses of up to 120 fruits, though most hold 80 plus.
Sounds very similar to "Fantasia" which is a Himalayan Giant cross that turned up in a London allotment... if it's as good as you say try to get it "checked" and if not a known variety propagate it for sale... :)
Bin it and get a nice thornless variety.
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