How to Kill Berry Bushes

A berry bush can be a nuisance.

Berry bushes can become a nuisance for those who do not have the time to care for them. The plants attract wild animals that also will forage through trash cans and pet food looking for meal. Spoiled berries scattered across the yard also attract bees. Many berry bushes spread quickly and can become invasive if they are not cut back and controlled. Destroying the berry bushes is one way to reclaim a garden or yard space.

Things You'll Need

• Electric trimmer
• Hedge clippers
• Lawn bags
• Herbicide

Instructions

1. Cut down the existing berry bushes, using electric trimmers or hedge clippers. Remove all traces of the bushes by bagging them in lawn bags and disposing of them in the trash. They also can be burned in a brush pile.

2. Apply one to two pellets of herbicide containing the chemical tebuthiuron, which is a licensed herbicide that will control the unwanted brush. Tebuthiuron will kill all other vegetation in the treatment area.

3. Apply additional applications of tebuthiuron at the sign of new growth. Spray dormant leaves with a 1-percent solution of triclopyr ester in late fall or winter. Wet the leaves during the application, but do not soak the plant so that chemical runoff occurs. The solution can be applied with the pellets for faster destruction of the plant.

References

• University of California: How to Manage Pests
• NSW Government: Blackberry Control Practices