Training blackberry brambles as a security hedge...

Sunflower

Hi all,

My second post today!! When we cleared a lot of overgrowth at the end of the garden we found about 5 mature blackberry brambles bushes. I really like them, and so we pruned out the dead stems and spread them out so that air could get through them. That was a couple of months ago and now they look great - lots of white flowers and the promise of berries!!
So I was wondering how to train them out along the top of the wall to form a higher bramble. One of them has totally entangled itself up and stands about 6ft high. Sadly we sometimes have people (not kids if you follow me) who run through the garden when they are up to no good. I'd like to present them with a bramble hedge to stop that. We once had two guys about 20yrs jump the wall even though we were here!! Not very nice at all.
Would a trellis of some kind work or should we simply tie the brambles to points along the wall to move them that way?? If they do get through, I'd like them to have to get through the brambles first...it might stop them doing it again!!!

Thanks all....
Sunflower

James Kilkelly · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:41 pm Post subject:

It may not look pretty, but securing some sheep wire (local co-op) to the wall will allow the bramble to elevate itself, and you to tie it in at points.
It's cheaper than trellis, and does not need to be treated against the elements as it is galvinised.

Sunflower · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:40 pm Post subject:

Thanks GPI, I'll have a look for that. I was also wondering if I really have to prune out the old branches? I'd like them all to bunch up at the top like one has done as there is no getting through it on the other side, but not at the expense of the plant itself. The biggest one has a few dead branches and we cut a lot out but I left the bigger ones as it seemed as if that was what was holding it up. Mind you, with wire it'll prob take care of itself....

Thanks for the reply,
Sunflower

CoillteÉire · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:43 pm Post subject:

A good Blackberry hedge should definitely be worth the work. Besides the flowers and berries, I know from a few unfortunate incidents that even a thin Blackberry makes it almost impossible to come through without leaving something behind Shocked

Sean Ph'lib · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:56 pm Post subject:

I planted three Himalayan Giant Blackberries in my garden some years ago. Unfortunately, I neglected the pruning for a couple of years and it has now got out of control. They now form an impenetrable hedge, fifty feet long and twenty feet wide. The only way any 20 yr olds would get through it is if they were driving a bulldozer. So encourage it by all means, but keep a close eye on it!