It might look cutesy and delicate, but the Common Ivy has earned a fearsome reputation as an invasive plant. Native to eastern Asia, European ivy—just one of several species with common names ending in “ivy”—is hardy and fast-growing as well as capable of covering trees and almost any other structure. There are few man-made or natural environments it cannot thrive in. The bramble is a family of fast-growing, shade-tolerant plants that share characteristics such as prickly thorns and jointed stems. They can grow almost anywhere, even unsoiled natural environments like the Himalayas (where they are called ‘Ling’). They aren’t something we would necessarily go out of our way to grow around our home or garden – not just due to their prickly appearance but because they have shallow roots which makes them prone to erosion and landslides. As well as being unappealing on aesthetic grounds, the dense thickets they tend to form can also make them dangerous places for humans to be. However, if you find yourself with brambles growing near you home or garden, here is how you can get rid of them…
Weed out brambles
One of the first things to do when tackling a bramble problem is to weed out any unwanted and invasive species. This can be done by hand or with the aid of a wheelbarrow and shovel. You can use this as an opportunity to clean up your garden and remove unwanted vegetation. Brambles are one of the easiest weeds to eradicate. They have shallow roots which makes it easy to dig out the entire root system. This will also help prevent the problem from recurring as there will be less room for new brambles to grow.
Pulling from
A more targeted approach to removal involves “pulling” the brambles from surrounding structures. There are a few tools that can help you with this. There are two main types of tool used for pulling brambles. The first is the “claw”, which is a tool with a series of sharp metal spikes that you can use to tear into the remains of the plant and rip them away. The second type of tool is a “rake” which has long metal blades that can be used to grab the brambles and yank them out. You can also use a long-handled broom or mop to help you reach high off the ground and pull the brambles off. How to kill brambles
Smothering
Another option is to smother the brambles by covering them with a thick layer of mulch. You could use almost any type of mulch for this: wood chips, straw, hay, or even old carpet. A thick layer will help to prevent sunlight from reaching the brambles and therefore stopping them from growing and developing. You can also make your own smothering agent by mixing sand with a large amount of quick-dry cement. Smother the brambles with this mixture for the best results.
Using herbicides to kill brambles
One of the best ways to kill brambles is to use herbicides – chemical sprays formulated to kill unwanted plants. There are a range of herbicides available to kill brambles, most containing chemicals derived from natural ingredients. The most common active ingredients in bramble killing sprays include: dicamba, 2,4-D, glyphosate, paraquat, and triclopyr. Dicamba is relatively non-toxic to humans and animals, but can kill plants with even slight exposure. 2,4-D also has low toxicity, but is highly effective as it can be absorbed through the leaves. Glyphosate is one of the most well-known herbicides and is widely used to kill brambles. It is non-selective, meaning it will kill all plants – but is less toxic than other ingredients.
Roundup Ultra or other glyphosate-based herbicide
Roundup Ultra is a widely-used glyphosate-based herbicide used to kill brambles. It is non-selective and can kill almost any plant it touches – including your garden plants and grass. Glyphosate has been linked to cancer and other serious health conditions, so it is advisable to wear protective clothing and a respirator when spraying with it. It can also pose a threat to animals and humans, so take care to avoid contact with it and keep it away from children and pets.
Vinegar and baking soda
There are a number of articles claiming that vinegar and baking soda can be used to kill off brambles. Brambles are a type of plant known as “broadleaf”. The vast majority of broadleaf weeds can be killed off by a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Brambles aren’t explicitly mentioned in most articles about this method, but they are a broadleaf plant and there is no reason to believe this method wouldn’t work for them.
Conclusion
Brambles are very common and hardy plants, but they can be very damaging to a garden, covering other plants and even structures like fences or walls. If you have brambles growing in your yard there are a few different ways to get rid of them such as pulling out the plants by the roots, covering them with a thick layer of mulch to starve them, or using a chemical herbicide like glyphosate.
This article is provided by https://www.goodgardn.co.uk/blogs/kill-brambles
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