A Redditor took to the platform for advice on handling a yard overrun with blackberry vines without killing trees or harming the neighbor's yards.
"I need advice about using salt or Vinegar to control invasive plants and weeds," the poster wrote in the post before further explaining that they were helping a friend and that they are both various levels of disabled, making physically intensive solutions like digging up the whole yard to get the roots out impossible.
"For now I'm just going out with clippers and cutting them up for either disposal or for use as mulch in the raised beds that I've been told are hiding under all those brambles," the original poster further detailed. "Problem is I need something to kill these things to the root because we can't be doing this every year. We've talked about salting the earth in the back yard to prevent regrowth but I have concerns about the raised beds and the trees on the property."
While blackberry bushes may not seem like something you would want to tear out, certain strains are invasive and can quickly take over a yard, outcompeting other plants you want to grow. Many homeowners have found themselves in similar battles against the bushes as the OP.
"Do not do not do not salt the earth. It was done historically to the most hated of enemies for a reason, and that reason was to starve the community for generations," wrote one.
"If you use vinegar, use the concentrated version, available at hardware stores, and pour it only on the exposed stems of the plants you've pruned to the ground," recommended another.
While the OP and their friend are limited in the actions they can take, avoiding chemical remedies is highly recommended. Toxic weed killers damage all plants, not just the targeted ones. Further, they also damage the soil and make their way into waterways, where they wreak havoc on those ecosystems. They have also been linked to serious human health issues.
When the OP does finally eradicate the invasive blackberry, it's best to replace it with native plants. Instead of choking the environment, native plants benefit it by needing less water, little to no chemical intervention, reducing erosion, and providing food and habitat for vital pollinators.
So, whatever the OP chooses, the more organic, the better.
One commenter recommended the most organic solution of all: boiling water. "Only apply on the invasive plant however, and be careful that you don't use too much at once, as Boiling Water will sterilize the soil and may also damage nearby plants," they wrote before wishing the OP good luck.
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