In Good Thyme - by Mariana Graham

The saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." This axiom may be aptly applied to Himalayan blackberry, that thorny, impenetrable, aggressive vine.

The Very Berry Festival, held at the Coupeville Farmers Market last month, featured lots of fat, juicy berries served in a variety of delicious ways. It was nice to note that in addition to such socially acceptable fruit as raspberry, blueberry, straw, logan, marion, and tayberry, there was room at the event for the ragtag Himalayan. When life gives you Himalayan blackberries, make pie…and jam and syrup and shortcake. Despite it's name, Himalayan blackberry (Rubus discolor) did not originate in the Himalayans. Perhaps the folks who rashly imported it from Europe in 1885 thought an exotic name would be a good marketing ploy. By the 1940s, Himalayan blackberry had spread its prickly tentacles from coast to coast, becoming especially problematic in the Pacific Northwest.

Although it will grow almost anywhere, Rubus discolor is particularly fond of our cool, moist climate, where it has displaced native shrubs, created brambly barriers for livestock, and caused many a cuss word to emanate from the mouths of gardeners.
Despite its drawbacks, Himalayan blackberry does have value other than for pie. It provides food and cover for wildlife and safe nesting sites for birds. It prevents soil erosion in bare, infertile areas where nothing else will grow. In fact, it was purposely planted along the banks of the Columbia River in north central Washington where it has successfully held for several years.

Getting rid of blackberry is a challenge almost as daunting as getting rid of horsetail (that's another subject altogether). The best way, say the experts, is to dig out the roots by hand and get them out in one piece, since even small chopped-up bits of root and cane can start new plants. DIG them out? Get real!
Okay, you can burn your blackberries, but you'll risk a huge fine, not to mention setting the entire county on fire, in which case you'll also go to jail. Let's not go there.

Chemical control is undoubtedly the easiest method, but care must be taken not to use toxic herbicides in wetlands or near streams, ponds or other waterways. Washington State University recommends using either the herbicide 2,4D (Weed-B-Gon, Barrage, Plantgard) during the growing season, triclopyr (Crossbow, Garlon, Brush-B-Gon) during active growth, or glyphosate (Roundup, Rodeo) during the month of September. WSU does not endorse specific commercial products; trade names are listed as examples only. As always, read product labels carefully and apply precisely the amount recommended on the package.
For those of us who don't want to use chemical warfare, there's a promising new product on the market. If you read horticulturist Ann Lovejoy's garden column in each Thursday's Seattle Post Intelligencer, you already know about a wonderful discovery she made: Blackberry & Brush Blocker, by a company called Greenergy. According to Lovejoy, who personally tested it, Greenergy's Blackberry & Brush Blocker is an environmentally safe product that wreaks havoc with those especially tough weeds like blackberry, Scotch broom and even horsetail!

A byproduct of the wine industry, it's made from extremely high concentrations of vinegar that will kill a blackberry slowly (up to six months for a large mass) but thoroughly. Once the plant is dead and gone, you must restore the soil to its correct pH level with garden lime. The problem is finding the product on Whidbey Island. As far as I know, local nurseries don't yet carry it. You might ask them to order it for you, though. Don't confuse the name with Ortho's Brush-B-Gon; it's an entirely different product. For detailed information on this and other new environmentally friendly herbicides, read Ann Lovejoy's June 7 column on the subject on the Web at www.bainbridgegardens.com/library/weedcontrol.html. No computer? The library has several and will help you access the site if you need assistance.

Washington State University has not given its verdict on (and may not yet have tested) this product, but I'd like to volunteer a certain blackberry-choked corner of my property if they need a test site. On the other hand, I'd sure miss the blackberry pie.
Next week I'll be on vacation, and In Good Thyme will be written by Fran Sabine, who was the first Master Gardener to write this column. I know you'll enjoy Fran's writing style and benefit from her savvy gardening advice.

Garden questions or comments? Call 675-6611, e-mail wnt@whidbey.net. Mariana Graham is a Master Gardener and member of Garden Writers Association of America.

MASTER GARDENER CLINICS (click on picture)
Master Gardener plant clinics are being held at various Island locations throughout the summer. On the North end, bring questions and plant samples to The Greenhouse Nursery each Saturday in July from 9 a.m. to noon, Cenex on Aug. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or the Navy Exchange Garden Shop June 30th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In Central Whidbey, it's at the Coupeville Farmers Market each Saturday through the end of July from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. South end clinics include Freeland Ace Hardware from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 23, July 28, Aug. 25 and Sept. 22. You can also find Master Gardeners at South Whidbey Tilth on July 7, Aug. 4, and Sept. 1 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Clinics are held at Bayview Farm and Garden June 30th, July 7, 14, 21, 28; Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25. Clinics may be scheduled at other locations when volunteers and resource materials are available. 'Can't make it to a plant clinic? Call the Master Gardener hotline (360) 679-7327 each Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the end of September.