Knowledgebase
Blackberry root removal #878674
Asked July 25, 2024, 3:48 AM EDT
Jackson County Oregon
Expert Response
Here are some non-chemical ways to remove blackberries:
Mowing: Mow the vines to ground level, and then continue to mow back new sprouts that emerge. This method is best if the area is flat enough to mow with a lawnmower, and the vines grow quickly.
Digging: Dig out the blackberry crowns, making sure to get the entire root ball. However, digging out the roots once can spread the weed by fragmenting the rhizomes.
Cutting: Use loppers, a hedge trimmer, or a brush cutter to cut back the stems to about 1 ft from ground level. If the brambles are dense or have grown into shrubs or hedges, you may need to cut the stems in multiple places and pull sections away. However, cutting mature plants near the base may cause them to resprout vigorously, so you may need to repeat this process throughout the season.
Solarization is a non-chemical method that can be used to treat blackberry plants by covering infected areas with clear plastic during the hottest months of the year to kill fungi, bugs, and weed seeds. The process works by trapping the sun's energy in the soil, heating it to temperatures that can be lethal to many soilborne pests.
Here are some tips for solarizing blackberries:
Choose the right plastic: Clear plastic is more effective at heating the soil than black plastic. Thinner plastic (3 mils or less) conducts heat better than thicker plastic, but it's more likely to tear. In windy areas, use slightly thicker plastic (1.5–2 mils), and in small areas, use thicker plastic (4 mils or more). You can also try layering clear plastic on top of black plastic to increase temperatures.
Prepare the bed: Make the bed as flat as possible so the plastic is in close contact with the soil and there aren't any air pockets.
Choose the right time: Cover the soil during a hot period of the year when it will receive the most direct sunlight. In dry climates, the process usually takes 2–3 weeks during the summer.
Cutting: Use loppers, a hedge trimmer, or a brush cutter to cut back the stems to about 1 ft from ground level. If the brambles are dense or have grown into shrubs or hedges, you may need to cut the stems in multiple places and pull sections away. However, cutting mature plants near the base may cause them to resprout vigorously, so you may need to repeat this
On Jul 25, 2024, at 9:56 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Yes the root ball is the source of all sprouts.
Soil solarization controls many of the annual and perennial weeds present in Oregon. While some weed species seeds or plant parts are very sensitive to solarization, others are moderately resistant and require optimum conditions for control; that is, tight-fitting plastic tarps, and high solar radiation. Solarization generally does not control blackberries because they often have deeply buried underground vegetative structures such as roots and rhizomes. You may have to leave the plastic in place longer.
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74145.html
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/ec1594.pdf
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On Sep 27, 2024, at 7:52 PM, Ask Extension wrote: