Mean neighbours are getting rid of my blackberry patch :-(

[getting there]

I recently discovered a blackberry patch in my garden along the fenceline and it has the first berries ripening now (yum yum).

A few days later my neighbour pointed it out and also a noxious weed so I ripped out the noxous weed and trimmed the blackberry away from the fenceline.

Then last night I got a phone call from my land lords saying the neighbour has been ringing them to complain about my weeds intruding on her garden and the unsightly state of my lawns (the dandelions were 12" max). Last friday I finally got a chance to mow the lawns and thoroughly weed the garden along the fenceline but still she called my land lords. And now my land lords are coming over to do a full inspection of the property inside and out and to get rid of the blackberry patch and weeds. So If I want blackberries I'll have to pay an arm and a leg for them at the shop, a luxery I can't afford on a govenment benefit .

[mrmushypeas]

Unfortunately in NZ, Blackberry is a pest weed, http://weeds.massey.ac.nz/weeds.asp?pid=58 which was found from the page http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/rubusfruticosus.htm

It sucks that your neighbours dob you in though, although depending on your landlord there is a risk that they will come in and nuke the whole area with herbicide to stop the complaints.

I had a blackberry growing near my letterbox, which I was planning on "getting around to" grubbing out, probably after seeing how it would fruit, but I see the council must have dealt with it when they came to mow the verge.

[Millymollymandy]

The problem of course is the roots - so unless you dig down and put a sheet of metal at the base of the fence, you can't stop the brambles suckering and shooting up on the neighbour's side.

Having just spent several days ripping the ruddy things out, I can't say that I blame them!

[snapdragon]

I feel for you - our house backs onto a railway line with brambles - and just as they were getting ripe in September the railway maintenance crew came and cut them all back a metre from the fence so I couldnt even reach those that were left

[old tree man]

Really sorry to hear about your nieghbours, its a shame thay havent got the common sense to realise the trouble they cause, if they had just spoke to you first you might have sorted it out befor it got to far .
Even this side of the world we have pests for nieghbours
hope it works out for you
all the best
Russ

[Ellendra]

If you want to save the blackberries, try digging up as much of the root ball as possible, and move them in closer to the house, maybe even plant them in a large tub. Its kind of a toss-up whether they'd still keep their berries, but at least the plants would bear fruit next year.

-Ellendra

[getting there]

Yeah I know they're a weed. I guess I'm just ticked off that she first rang the land lords and later mentioned it to me. I seriously didn't know I had blackberries until a week or two ago (I moved in march last year and have been studying full time as well as being a solo mum so I have only just started being able to get out in the garden) but she must of known for months if not longer.

And it ticks me off that the complaints don't stop at the weeds that affect her but also how many weeds are in my lawn, how often I mow my lawn ( I mow it once a week), the unruly state of my veg garden (there's companion planted vegies, herbs, and certain 'pest police plants' grown all together in no particular order instead of nice straight rows). My recycling, free cycling, and composting also get commented on negatively.

Anyway I've managed to get my hands on some old wine barrels so I'll dig up the black berry and put it in one of those and keep it on the courtyard.

[Stonehead]

Anyway I've managed to get my hands on some old wine barrels

Perhaps you could stuff your neighbour in one?

[Jarmara]

Sounds like you have a right Hyacinth Bucket living next door!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinth_Bucket

[the.fee.fairy]

Grrr, sounds like the neighbours need using as compost!!

I had the same problem when i was a student - i was growing a scotish thistle in the garden. Every day, the girl next door and i went out and we measured it and checked it. One day i came home to find the garden clear and the landlady in the process of raking the soil. I almost cried!!

Luckily, the girl next door got revenge a couple of weeks later by telling her mum about the stupid landlady who didn't have a clue about plants...all within earshot of the landlady!

But it was pulled up because someone had phoned her to complain that the garden didn't look tidy. She didn't bother getting in touch to ask us to clear it - she just pulled it up!

[getting there]

Haha Hyacinth Bucket! I love it

I love the seeming innocence of children and how it allows them to do and say things like the girl net door to you Fee.

While I was away the landlord sprayed the blackberry plant to shut the neighbour up apparently and have offered me a thornless blackberry plant to replace it .

[mrsflibble]

awww that's nice!
my blackberries all come from a nature reserve which is now unfortunately a bus ride away. a well eorthy bus ride it will be though!!!
our landlords dont' seem to care about the garden here. I'm almost hoping they will ask why I've pulled out half of the plants in the back. I'm in the process of getting a mate of mine to draft up an official looking letter as my personal gardener to explain the loss of the plants. THEY WERE DISEASED AND DYING!!!

and taking up valuable garlic, herb and nasturtium space