Allotments 4 All

I have just got my allotment today!!!!! Am totally new to this, never had a garden even.  Wondering how to get rid of blackberry bushes on my plot, absolutely covers whole plot.  Any ideas???

Everyone will say petrol strimmer. I didn't have one. I had a pair of gloves and my mother's old secateurs. It was a long job.

However 16 sq m now cleared, roots to be dug out but that can wait, there's months of winter for digging. I quite enjoyed it, it was strangely satisfying and you can see the space you've cleared so there's a real sense of achievement.

But get a petrol strimmer if you can.  :D

Roots are a bit of a bugger, especially if your brambles are like mine (big bunches of brambles, the biggest as thick as your wrist), but by all accounts they're quite shallow. Just try to make sure you've hoiked them all out as they will come back, and if you're planning a pond as I am it's probably clever to leave it for a bit until you're certain there's none going to come through the lining :)

Best of luck, wear a thick shirt and have a happy bonfire :D

Thank you for your help, will try to do manually as yourself as would cause major injuries using machinery.

Happy digging!! :D

Don't worry if you start having conversations with the brambles, it's perfectly normal. It all got very personal with me. If you can imagine me leaping into a thorny thicket armed with secateurs shouting "you bastard, I'll get you this time." Luckily not many people around on my site.

Will try and remember advice ....and give it my best shot!!! ;D

What an outstanding chicken. What is it?

Ive just taken on a plot that had lots of blackberry brambles on there, I cut them back then dug up the roots no problem ;D
I read somewhere that they dont like having there roots disturbed so hopefully they shouldnt come back.

Oh good. The roots of mine will be thoroughly disturbed. Mind you, the way I talk to them they ought to be.

We have just taken over a site and joined this forum. I think most people on here are already fed up with my stories of how much bramble bushes we have murdred in the last 4 weeks. We are also doing it the old way with a thick pair of gloves each and a pair of clippers each. Just buy the best secateurs that you can afford. The better quallity tools you have the longer they will last. Make sure that you clean your tools off after each use, oil them and look after them too. :)

And curse a lot. I always find that helps.

Bupster!!  ;D ;D I don't think that what the "experts" mean by talking to plants!

It is if you want them disturbed. ;D

Quote from: bupster on September 28, 2005, 01:34:32
It is if you want them disturbed. ;D

I have cultivated brambles and I still curse at the b*ggers.  People ask me if I have been attacked by the cat when I've been picking them. I explain that the cat is an ickle pickle fluffkin (and only slightly psychotic) and it's the brambles that are gits.

moonbells  ;D

Your all missing out on a lot of fun... Go on ebay and buy a Machete (I got mine from a bloke in Wigan) then attack them. Secateurs are for girls!!!!

Thank you everyone for your help, i'm on my way to the hardware store!!! :D