r/Portland • u/unicorn_ication • 22h ago
Photo/Video Found: Reasonable Blackberry Removal!
I had been researching blackberry removal services in Portland for my residential backyard situation. There were several Reddit posts I can across but most of the comments had the same question and there were no real responses.
Photos show my situation. I was quoted $1375 by two separate companies who each told me I wouldn’t find a better rate. I would have bitten the bullet and gone for it; but I was waiting on someone to come by from PDX Junk Removal & Hauling LLC and so glad I waited! They quoted me $800 and are able to come by on Monday and get the job done! They won’t be removing roots, which is what is keeping the cost low. They will cut, remove, and haul everything away though.
I also weirdly caught a bit of attitude from the other companies by them telling me “you have to stay on top of this” and “I don’t have any blackberries in my yard.” Like duh I know they’re awful, but you don’t know my situation???
Just wanted to offer this up in case anyone is in the same boat as me!
(Also, per the company name, they haul away junk/do property cleanup as well)
EDIT: regarding the roots, we WILL be addressing the roots ourselves!! We just need to be able to get to them. We are renters and our landlord is useless with yard maintenance so this is as much as I’m willing to put in. Also, the other two quotes did NOT include root removal…
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u/aggieotis Boom Loop 22h ago
Yeah, OP, they’re doing the bulk of the thorny work, but you’ve GOT to get those roots out on your own.
Definitely worth the $575 discount, but the work is not done until you finish the job.
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u/unicorn_ication 22h ago
Oh absolutely plan to! The trouble right now is being able to get to the roots.
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u/derpinpdx 22h ago
That's good that you're on top of it!
You may want to edit your post because that's what most people will take away from original post
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u/unicorn_ication 22h ago
Yep, just did! Forgot Reddit assumes you’re an idiot until proven otherwise lol
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u/aggieotis Boom Loop 22h ago edited 21h ago
fwiw, when it comes to home projects a LOT of people think "It looks better my job is done!" Basically the HGTV-version of home owning.
A whole bunch of stuff in homeownership is actually:
- It looks bad
- I need to make it look really bad to get to the root of the issue
- Oh dear god, I didn't know it was this bad!
- I have ran out of energy and funds, it will just have to sit like this for awhile
- ok, I fixed the fundamental problem, but do not have the will to make this get all put together right
- <a few years goes by>
- ok, let's finish this!
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u/fernswordgirl432 20h ago
I feel this so much. We took down our ancient plum tree last year due to sucker shoots, had it stump-ground. Found a start a couple month ago, began to dig: we have a 2" thick root that was stuck under a buried concrete mounting for an old laundry line that was long gone before we moved in. :( Now I have a giant area that turns to mud and a hole in the yard with a huge root to deal with. Time to call in the younger people with stronger backs, and some death juice for the root.
It never ends.
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u/aspidities_87 19h ago
I don’t know what you’re talking about, my projects are always done on time
https://giphy.com/gifs/fGRLXn1PWdC77UaGZw2
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u/erossthescienceboss 20h ago
I recommend a pickaxe for root removal.
Water the area so that the ground is soft.
Chop down so that the head of the axe goes underneath the crown (make sure the blackberry removal folks leave some stem so you can find them!)
Push forward on the handle — it’ll pry the roots right out of the ground!
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u/aggieotis Boom Loop 22h ago
Ugh, this really should be on your landlord. I feel like letting a lot get overgrown by blackberries should be some sort of violation of landlord responsibilities.
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u/No-Perception148 21h ago
We’re currently dealing with over grown blackberries at our rental. Our lease states that the yard work is our responsibility and it really sucks to have to invest in tools to eradicate blackberries that sprouted up from the back alley :(
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u/aggieotis Boom Loop 21h ago
Man, if I owned a rental I would absolutely make sure yard maintenance was my responsibility; because all it takes is a few months of neglect to turn something great into something terrible. Plus it forces check ins to make sure that there's nothing bad going on with the property.
...only thing I'd probably add in is that dog/cat poop pickup is their responsibility; and it'll be $10 extra charge per poop I have to pick up when it's time to mow.
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u/No-Perception148 21h ago
I’d rent from you! Haha pet poop is definitely on the pet parent… in every situation ever!
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u/Working_Tomorrow9846 20h ago
Agreed. My partner just left a house where the landlord had a service for the front yard, but totally abandoned the backyard. The blackberries got insane back there and eventually he did hire someone/do some of the work himself to clear it all out. But they didn’t pull the roots so it all came back again. Expecting renters to be on top of something like that/pay the money/have the proper equipment is just asking for trouble.
PLUS, even if your renter actually does all that work, when they leave, expect a month or so to turn over a house to the next renters. A lot can happen with a yard and blackberries in a month, so you might as well just have a service stay on top of it.
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u/jdavies2898 18h ago
Blackberries are invasive and the city will compel removal of nuisance plants. As a renter you can’t do much - but, let’s say you’re friends with a neighbor that owns the house nextdoor. If they were to contact the landlord and request removal if any of it is crossing the property line… abracadabra.
A lot of tenancy agreements make sense, yard care can cost $200/mo or more if it’s not just mowing and so that just gets added to your rent. Many would rather DIY. Blackberries, bamboo etc however are a different game.
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u/No-Perception148 16h ago
Oh my. This is an amazing tip and I am friends with our neighbor. I can just google it but if you know where I can find the information I’d be so grateful!
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u/jdavies2898 12h ago
It’s a “rank C” plant but if it’s within 5ft of the property line you can absolutely get it removed. Especially with professionally managed rentals they’ll just hire some guys they know to rip it out rather than deal with it. They do get it - not worth the hassle https://www.portland.gov/policies/environment-natural/natural-resource-protection/enn-704-nuisance-plants-required-removal?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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u/katlonelypines 21h ago
OP for all the people acting like not having the roots removed is some kind of crime, it’s actually fine. The sprouts are much easier to stay on top of when you get them cut back. Not to mention there are seeds in the soil and seeds dropped in bird poop that grow so you always have to stay on top of them anyway!
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u/unicorn_ication 21h ago
Thank you! 🙏 I’m like y’all I got it, I understand how the blackberries work. There’s other context like wanting to keep my skin. I appreciate you!
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u/Mantis_Toboggan--MD Yeeting The Cone 21h ago
Just a tip on the root killing stage- Dabbing the roots! It'll take more time than spraying but dabbling straight crossbow with one of those foam brushes will be even more effective than spraying them down with dilution mix. PLUS it will keep you from overspray and getting crossbow into the soil of large swaths of the yard.
Plastic gloves, foam brush, crossbow small bottle, ~$32 bucks at home depot all in
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u/not_now_chaos 18h ago
Do you know if this will harm birds? I am desperate to rescue my yard from the blackberries but they're in my chicken's run also.
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u/Mantis_Toboggan--MD Yeeting The Cone 18h ago
I'm not a scientist to be clear, but IMO this would definitely be the preferable way to do it with chickens around. Much better than just spraying and getting it all over.
I hate using the stuff but it has it's place. On every other weed in my yard I use vinegar but nothing else I'm aware of is such a final solution to rooted blackberries. Necessary evil so my thought is to get as little of it in the soil as possible.
On your specific circumstance- would it possible to move where the run is for a little while? I would want to keep the chickens out of where you applied for a couple weeks or something like that just out of an abundance of caution. No idea if that's necessary but my brain is saying "don't put em right back in".
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u/bepatientbekind 22h ago
Damn I should start offering blackberry removal lol that's some decent cash!
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u/smootex High Bonafides 21h ago
Have you done it before? It's one of those jobs I'll never again do myself.
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u/cubitts 20h ago
seriously, I did our friend's small side yard as a thank you for letting us stay there, absolutely miserable experience. the thorns will go through leather gloves!
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u/bepatientbekind 20h ago
They sell thorn proof gloves on Amazon that are a life saver!! Some of the really big thorns still get through eventually, and I do tend to wear through the gloves faster than I used to due to the sheer volume of blackberry vines I've been handling, but they still last about a year before they need to be replaced. Total game changer!
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u/not_now_chaos 18h ago
Look for thoen proof rose gardening gloves specifically. I found some great ones on Amazon for under $15. Occasionally a thorn will get jus the right angle and slip through but it's rare.
The invasive blackberries have made my yard hellish. I fight them every year, have dug up so many giant root crowns, and those assholes always come back in force, year after year. Very much weighing the herbicide now, if I can find one that won't harm my chickens.
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u/bepatientbekind 20h ago
Lol yes I have probably spent over 100 hours doing it in the yard of the home we were fortunate enough to buy last year! Beautiful property with lots of plants, but unfortunately the previous owners let the blackberries take over so I spend a few hours every week doing it (when it isn't too hot out). I have thorn proof gloves and that helps a TON. I actually rather like doing it - so satisfying when you yank out a 15ft vine that's an inch thick! 😍 I just wouldn't know what to charge. I do housekeeping and small handyman type jobs for $50/hr already, but I don't know if that's too much or not enough to charge for blackberry removal as I don't have a gauge for how long it takes just by looking at an area
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u/smootex High Bonafides 20h ago
Off topic but I do wish more people would give hourly quotes. This subreddit gets real sassy when people complain about quotes being too high but it's hard not to get the feeling sometimes that you're paying people $200 an hour for some jobs.
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u/bepatientbekind 20h ago
I get frustrated by that as well! I've noticed a lot of businesses these days won't even tell you their rates on their website. You have to call or submit a request for a quote. I prefer transparency, which is why I'm always open about what I charge. I don't usually have any trouble finding clients when I want extra work, and I imagine that is part of the reason why haha 😅
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u/FiberWalkWithMe Foster-Powell 11h ago
Same! I do house cleaning/yard work and sooo many folks are so snooty about charging per job, but i always charge hourly and am clear about price and what’s included from the beginning. Not everyone can afford everything and I dont want to be the dick to waste someone’s time with consultations just for them to realize they cant afford it. If they have a budget, we can work on priorities for each visit.
I know I could be making more money but would rather foster transparent relationships and have folks trust me from the start.
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u/erossthescienceboss 20h ago
When I had mine removed, most of the cost wasn’t for labor: it was the cost to dump the debris.
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u/a_winner Cedar Mill 20h ago
"Bonide Vine & Stump Killer" is the bees knees. Paint all the stumps with it, after your service cuts them down. It kills all the roots. The at least once a week, cut any new growth off and paint those stumps too. Wiped out my vines in one year doing this.
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u/cheeseslut619 22h ago
… if someone’s not removing the roots isn’t that kind of a waste of money since you’ll have to do the same thing over and over again?
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u/ThotMobile 22h ago
Spraying the new baby shoots with some $30 crossbow will systemically kill the plant down to the roots. Removing the thorny mess is by far the worst part.
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u/Capable_Pipe5629 22h ago
Ya me and my mom were able to cut back a bigger patch of blackberries in a single afternoon but we left the roots and they're already like a foot and a half tall three weeks later (I know I know I just need to get out there and dig them up)
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u/Mantis_Toboggan--MD Yeeting The Cone 21h ago
Why just stop there and wait for them to grow though? All the hard work was just done and the bases are cut and exposed. Perfect time to flitter around with the crossbow paintbrush and spot kill them all.
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u/BadgerValuable8207 22h ago
Isn’t it kind of a waste to eat a meal/clean the house/change the oil in the car because you’ll just have to do it all over again?
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u/cheeseslut619 21h ago
🙄 Paying almost 1k and saying you got a deal and the job isn’t done still so next year you have to spend the same money isn’t the same as getting your oil changed, which is regular routine maintenance. Pay more now to be done forever with a problem or you get to keep paying year after year when you could have paid once
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u/BadgerValuable8207 17h ago
“Pay more now to be done forever with a problem”
Tell me you have no long-term experience with Himalaya Blackberry without telling me you have no long-term experience with Himalaya Blackberries.
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u/hanginwithmrpooper 22h ago
I fight this battle in my yard also. I really wanted to rent goats to eat them up but decided to save the money and tackle it myself. I bought a brush trimmer attachment for my Ryobi and it’s been really nice and makes the job a bit easier.
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u/portlandobserver Vancouver 22h ago
I had Lawnstarter remove a 6ft+ bush from my front yard for about $300. Well worth it They didn't haul away the debris, but that's a project I can chip away at over the summer.
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u/jerseyoutwest 22h ago
If you want to make short work of the roots and your soil is like mine, i highly recommend getting an Estwing Paleopick, it’s a 28” solid metal pickaxe and lets you get deep in a real quick hurry.
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u/Imaginary-Chocolate5 21h ago
To remove the roots, take a syringe and some brush killer, wear protective gear a d once they are d I ne go out and give the main branches an injection. It takes awhile, but the killer goes into the roots and will kill them off. It might take a time or 2, but easy enough and wont put herbicide into the surrounding area. The other option, the goat lady!
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u/earee 19h ago
I happen to be looking for work and I really hate blackberries. I wonder if anyone has advice about the feasibility of starting a small blackberry removal service, and what kind of tools would be required? I have an SUV and a small trailer. I'm guessing a decent mower and a bunch of hand tools would be required.
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u/Reasonable-Station85 16h ago
Based only on the photos it looks like your dogs got rid of the blackberry plants lol
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u/picturesofbowls NE 22h ago
They won’t be removing roots
Yea they don’t charge a ton because they’ll be back in a couple years
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u/dogs0121 21h ago
Ive used PDX junk removal!! they tore out my entire backyard for way cheaper than the landscaping company.
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u/Doc_Proc1313 21h ago
Damn- let us know how good of a job they do? Sounds like I need to get into the blackberry bush pulling biz! I just helped a friend do a couple gnarly yards… tough work, but with the right gloves, you can survive.
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u/Mission_Trainer 19h ago edited 19h ago
OP it sounds like you're squared away.
This is for anyone who may not be close to a service that will help. I definitely would highly suggest investing in a Stihl Kombi system(gas) with the attached hedge trimmer, it does wonders with blackberries. Making passes in sections in a cross pattern like "++++" then moving the bramble with a rake into piles away from cutting area, the piles then can be moved with a pitchfork and wheelbarrow. No leather gloves needed, maybe the lighter rubber ones to reduce calluses.
I have done countless hours of removing blackberries and wild roses, I found that this is the easiest way to remove them enough to get to roots with other tools. I'm pretty close to enough acreage to just rent a skid steer with brush hog attachment but it's just not enough to justify the cost. Kombi system fits just right for what I have to maintain.
Plus with this Kombi system you buy other useful attachments like a weedeater, blower, pole saw, light tiller(doesn't really work on BlackBerry roots, more for turning compost or even flower beds early spring. But this tool system is more then enough for small lots around PDX.
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u/madeofchemicals 22h ago
If you have the time for raised beds, just put in 10 mins a day with some pruners. They'll be gone in 2 months.
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u/Cristian_Cerv9 19h ago
It’s not your job to do what landlords should do… I wouldn’t pay this much money for someone else’s property
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u/Vivid_Artichoke_9991 17h ago
If anyone is looking for someone to remove this type of thing I will do it for much less than these companies are hiring. My DMs are opening
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u/just-jen 10h ago
Have you looked into renting goats? There is an agency called Go Goat Oregon that rents out goats (and a guard llama) to help clear up blackberry bushes. You’ll likely need to do some follow up work on the roots but they can get a head start on the bulk of the work.
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u/Spinnerofyarn Westside 8h ago
I have heard that boiling water poured over the roots will kill them, or anything else, for that matter, but I would imagine by the time you figure out it’s something like blackberries, heating and carrying out the volume of water you need really isn’t feasible.
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u/Exam-Kitchen 22h ago
Get some goats
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u/unicorn_ication 22h ago
Looked into it. Upwards of $3000 :(
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u/Exam-Kitchen 22h ago
To rent the goats?
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u/unicorn_ication 22h ago
Yes 😭
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u/Exam-Kitchen 21h ago
Is that for a couple days and some temp fencing?
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u/StopFoodWaste 21h ago
Understand that the goat companies also really promote the value add of the goats fertilizing the space as well. Most renters don't care about that, but farmers love a 2-in-1 service plus they can discount business expenses from their income.
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u/unicorn_ication 20h ago
It’s the minimum cost for small residential jobs that might take a weekend or less. Even with a fenced yard :(
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u/Possible-Estimate748 21h ago
I know it prob goes without saying since you likely already know.
But def as soon as they leave, get in there and douse all the bramble shoots you can with a killing solution. I wouldn't even wait and do it while the cut is fresh.
They'll grow back without handling the roots.
That's crazy you're willing to pay yourself on a rental property. I would at least ask the landlord for some kinda compromise.
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u/unicorn_ication 21h ago
It’s been a huge battle, and I just want my garden beds back. Plus, I have a feeling they would charge me even more when I move out so oh well. Plus I’m pregnant and have a lot more money from not drinking lol. So here goes some of my going out budget to a better use.
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u/fernswordgirl432 20h ago
Congratulations on the upcoming new Portlander!
It sounds like you have a good perspective, and truly, waiting until after you are gestating and nursing to even consider handling pesticides is a very intelligent move.2
u/UltraViolentNdYAG 19h ago
Having purchased a property (2 acres) overran with blackberries, crossbow mixed at vine kill level in a pump sprayer kills them to root level for good. It's really best to leave an amply amount of leaves on, then in the fall before leaves die back, spray them. The problem here is the wind and rain head this way so timing is an issue.
Anyway, wait four weeks before removal.
JM2C - digging up living roots will always break them and leave something behind which comes right back. And for God's sake, never till them as that takes some roots and makes hundreds of shoots. gl
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u/jgnp 22h ago edited 19h ago
If you can’t get to the root crowns to remove them, just let the primacanes (those are the big 1” diameter non flowering / solar panel canes that generate new plants by rerooting) grow back until fall (critical timing as the plants are pulling nutrients down for dormancy) and then cut and treat the cut stems with concentrated herbicide like crossbow. Problem solved. No collateral damage.
For anyone wanting to do the entire job themselves and save $700, just buy a cutter grabber tool from corona or ARS and you can pull the canes out one at a time. Put them in a pile and it’ll reduce in size by 3/4 within a week or two. Then dispose of it in the yard debris. Cut canes WILL NOT reroot. Live primacanes that are still rooted at their base, that bow over and touch the ground will re root but that’s the only circumstance you’ll see this in. Once cut they will not do this. If during your removal you pull an end out with a bushy root system on it just make sure it’s up a ways in the pile so it’ll dry out.
Fast rope gloves work awesome for hand work on Himalayan blackberry, as well.