Controlling blackberry before doing a no dig garden

by mama mia
(woodacre, california)

the dreaded blackberry bushes!

hi, we live in northern california and have half an acre of south facing property, a bit sloping, and i am getting ready to make my no-dig garden with the layers, etc - i'm so excited and have all my little seedlings starting to sprout on the kitchen counter...

my one question is the about the blackberry bushes. about half of the gardening space is overgrown with them. can i cut them down to the roots and start the layers at ground level? or do i have to pull out the roots... please say i don't have to pull out the roots... :)

thanks for any advice!
mia

Comments for Controlling blackberry before doing a no dig garden

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Feb 10, 2011
 Murdering Blackberry
by: Kiwi George

O.M.G. mama mia, you have a problem. New Zealand is "cursed" with acres (or is that hectares) of this pest and I have the scars from many battles with the beast(after I have harvested the berries for jam of course). Many years ago, before I studied/took up Organic horticulture, I used to spray with 254T (Agent Orange of Vietnam infamy)but this is now out of favour thank godness. My latest battle was won by marking it into metre square blocks, cutting it back, pulling out each piece of root and covering the patch with old carpet, heavy cardboard or anything to preclude any light. After a month, lift the covering and check for regrowth which will be puny and easier to remove. Then do your "No Dig" thing and hope for the best. Sorry I can't promise a quick fix but the method above works a treat.
Regards
George ([email protected])
Oct 25, 2011
 Use freash manure
by: Anonymous

Can you use freash horse manure to cover the area and hope it burns the blackberry.

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