Getting rid of thorns in run

[RussianPepper]

Hi everybody, I’m getting some chicks soon, right now I’m prepping to build a new run.
The trouble is that the whole 10x20 area was covered in thorns and wild grape vine. I’ve cut everything back down to the roots, but I’m worried they’ll (the thorns, I don’t mind the grapes )grow back inside the run when spring and summer come.
My thought was to dump some vinegar or other non-toxic acid or base on them, cover with black plastic and more soil on top, and kill the roots this way. (I don’t know if it’s overkill but the thorns in MA are like cats, they keep coming back) Maybe restore the soil later with opposite pH.Does anyone know if this will work? Is there a better way?

 

[Wezdin]

Welcome to BYC! Chickens do an amazing job at keeping down thorns or any plant for that matter as long as they are cut down when the chickens are introduced to the run. I wouldn't worry about it unless you have another reason for getting rid of the thorns.

 

[RussianPepper]

Welcome to BYC! Chickens do an amazing job at keeping down thorns or any plant for that matter as long as they are cut down when the chickens are introduced to the run. I wouldn't worry about it unless you have another reason for getting rid of the thorns.

Thanks! And thanks for the information, that saves a lot of time!

 

[aart]

What kind of 'thorns'?

Anything growing near, and into, a mesh run may destroy the run fencing.
Vinegar does not kill the roots of most plants, only the foliage, must repeat until plant is dead which can take months/years.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yes, what kinds of thorns? The way you start a blackberry or raspberry patch is to bury a section of root, thy grow from that. Some kinds of thorns you may be able to dig out but with some you will always miss a root section. So what kind are they?

The vinegar you get from the store is pretty worthless for this, it is way too weak at only 6%. Even the industrial strength vinegar doesn't do much good other than on foliage unless they are freshly sprouted. then it might kill roots. It doesn't do much for the roots of established plants.

You can try the black plastic solar method. With enough time it could work, some thorns' roots are pretty shallow. But some go deeper.

A 10' x 20' area isn't all that big. Your chickens might keep it clean. If the thorns have come back by the time you turn your chicks loose in that area, I'd cut them back and see what happens.

 

[RussianPepper]

Thanks aart and Ridgerunner for the replies, good to know about the limits of vinegar. Based on what I've found on the internet, the thorns look like they are mostly Rosa multiflora, with a couple blackberry bushes mixed in. They've been growing there for over a decade, so they're pretty thick and rooted in deep.

I'm teetering between extremes now, whether to do nothing or do everything. I’m concerned the thorns are going to ruin the run, if not from the inside, then whatever roots leftover on the outside could.

Ideally, I'd like to set up another run on the other side of the coop this year, which will be the same size. That way i could rotate runs and grow treats to full maturity before I sic the chickens on them. This would make it impossible for the chickens to maintain the thorns for me though.

Today I read you can apply salt to the roots to kill them- but it destroys the soil if it gets down in there. I might try to bore a hole in the bigger stalks, put some salt in and duct tape it so it doesn’t contaminate the soil (theoretically).
Or I’ll just have at em with a pick ax. TBD

Here’s some pictures of what I’m taking about.

 

[aart]

Ideally, I'd like to set up another run on the other side of the coop this year, which will be the same size.

I would start with the run on the other side, then just keeping mowing the heck out of those 'weeds' all summer(after cutting the woody parts down to, or below, the ground), and build the second run next year. If any foliage re-emerges, the chicken will eat it when young and tender or you can hit it with the vinegar where they can't reach.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I had Rosa Multiflora in Arkansas, a nasty invasive weed. Glyphosate killed it but it puts out a lot of seeds and those seeds remain viable for years. I think birds were spreading the seeds since it often showed up in fence rows and such where the birds liked to perch. If you are unwilling to go the chemical route I think the best bet would be to keep it cut back often enough to not let the leaves send any reserves to the roots. Just be prepared to battle it for a year or two before you exhaust the energy stored in the roots. Whatever you do do not let it flower and produce more seeds.

I don't recall Rosa Multiflora making stumps that big but maybe I didn't let it get that old. If it is that established you will have a lot of seeds in the ground. Even if you were willing o do it that close to your building i don't think a controlled burn would help, the heat wouldn't go deep enough to kill out the roots. I'd expect this stuff to be the first plants to come back after a burn.

Blackberries are much the same. Those roots are generally fairly shallow. I had some get out of control in a landscaping bed. The soil was relatively soft but I had desirable bushes growing in there so when the blackberries showed up I'd try to pull it out by the roots. The roots would break off and it would come back but once I got consistent enough about getting it out before it had time to grow new roots I finally got it under control.

10' x 20' really isn't that big. I think my first effort would be to clean it out and see if the chickens can keep it that way. If they won't eat the sprouts keep it clean.