Bramble slasher or other tool for getting rid of brambles

[Snoop Puss]

A friend is coming over by car and has offered to bring something over for me. It occurred to me that a tool to get rid of brambles would be a good idea.

On a very old thread, someone has a picture of what looks to be a long-handled bill hook that they said was very useful. I've seen similar on ebay.

This was also recommended on another thread:
Grass Slasher Weeder - Tools | Green Shopping

Does anyone have any views on these or recommendations for other tools/suppliers?

Here where I live, they recommend very powerful chemicals but they're not suitable for our location as we have a vein of underground water below us. And I'd rather not use a brushcutter as I find them a bit heavy to wield.

[veggiechicken]

My first reaction was - poor Bramble, on her birthday too
My 2nd was - sorry, I haven't a clue! I cut the brambles down with loppers - to about a foot high and lever out the roots with a fork. Takes longer but at least they're gone.

[Snoop Puss]

My first reaction was - poor Bramble, on her birthday too
My 2nd was - sorry, I haven't a clue! I cut the brambles down with loppers - to about a foot high and lever out the roots with a fork. Takes longer but at least they're gone.

Yes, I forgot about the birthday girl! Sorry about that, Bramble.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Brambles shouldn't be slashed at . The thorns can do serious injury if they fly around. VC,s approach is sensible and effective.

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks for the advice, guys. Looks like lopping it is. I need an emoticon thingy for "sigh of despair"... I'll be long gone before the job is done!

[snakeshack]

I own a long handled slasher and believe me if you think a brushcutter is hard to handle, dont even think about this. You really need to swing to get up enough speed to cut, even when razor sharp, as the bramble has a cushioning effect when it hits.
After about 10 minutes I usually collapse in a sweaty gibbering heap and swear to get the brushcutter running again.
the loppers are the way to go

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, snakeshack. Nothing for it but to get lopping though. Some patches have been growing since well before we arrived. I'll probably find an Iberian corpse in one of the patches, it's so dense. Ah well, lopping it is.

[Mr Bones]

I'd go for loppers too, followed by the trenching (Chillington) hoe.

[Bigmallly]

Sommat like this'd get rid of 'em Snoop.......................

[veggiechicken]

If you can just keep lopping the growing tips off, enough to stop them rooting, it helps. That's what I do, give them a short back and sides and dig them out when I'm feeling energetic.

[PyreneesPlot]

Our garden began as a field full of brambles - we found cutting to the ground with loppers and then running over with the lawn mower keeps them from coming back. Except of course where we can't mow and there I just keep on cutting to the ground in the (faint) hope of exhausting them.
And they only produce small rubbish fruit.

[Snoop Puss]

Bigmally, that looks a bit like overkill for what he's dealing with, but maybe it would be good for the evil brambles. I'll see about getting a burning permit from our local forestry agent next winter. Could be an option. Hope so!

Maybe I should say we have about 12 acres, all but about two or three inhabited by pine trees, kermes oak, brambles and the odd holm and Portuguese oak. Actually, it's hard to know what's worse, the brambles or the kermes oak. Add oak to a name and it sounds grand, but it is a total and utter weed of the nastiest variety. I've tried lopping and grubbing it out, but turn your back and it's back. Pretty much like brambles, really.

Meanwhile, out with the loppers... Thanks for all the advice guys.

[veggiechicken]

I'd not heard of kermes oak before. You learn summat new every day!
PFAF says you can use the leaves to repel slugs so it can't be all bad Quercus coccifera Kermes Oak PFAF Plant Database

[Snoop Puss]

I'd not heard of kermes oak before. You learn summat new every day!
PFAF says you can use the leaves to repel slugs so it can't be all bad Quercus coccifera Kermes Oak PFAF Plant Database

That was an interesting read. Especially "An ornamental plant, it thrives in Britain". No-one in their right mind should plant it! It spreads its roots far and wide and is impossible to eradicate. The leaves are good against slugs because they are as scratchy and prickly as holly. As for "it doesn't tolerate root disturbance", as far as I can tell it doesn't care a jot!

Time to get me some more loppers and a team of slaves (otherwise known as visitors)!