Will a Hedge Trimmer Cut Blackberries

You’ve got a large blackberry bush growing in your backyard. 

It can be a highly rewarding experience to grow your blackberries. Taking a bit out of what you have worked day and night for is the ultimate reward.

But now, it has become a tangled mess! Bushes all around!

And you want to prune it to make it more manageable, but you are unsure if the hedge trimmer is suitable for this task.

You can’t afford to damage your tool or hurt yourself during the process, so you don’t want to experiment without knowing the basics.

What should you do, then? Let me explain!

Cultivating blackberries is super smooth as long as you don’t have to deal with the bushes.

But unfortunately, it’s inevitable! 

The good news is that this hectic task will become much easier with the right tool. Yes, you heard that right!

The powerful trimmers come with a punch that can smoothly tackle tough blackberries. Not just this, but they are lightweight and versatile enough to spruce up your garden.

Now that you know that it’s super effective to cut blackberries with the trimmer, let’s uncover more about how you can use a trimmer and the possible tips;

Mastering the Art of Blackberry Cutting with a Hedge Trimmer – Step-by-Step Guide

It’s essential to prune blackberries and their bushes – so that they stay healthy and continue to prune fruit. Hedge trimmers are good for cutting and maintaining hedges, and this makes people confused about whether they are perfect for blackberry cutting or not.

Well—it is! But the key is to take the right strategies and approach.

Before you start the process, prepare the required materials and best tool for blackberry removal, and it’s always better to have every important stuff ready.

Required Tools & Materials

• Hedge trimmer
• Work gloves
• Ear protection
• Tarp
• Stakes
• Sturdy shoes
• Safety glasses
• Pruning lopper or shear
• Plastic bags to store small clippings

All check? It’s time to follow the most beneficial steps to cut blackberries!

Step 1. Take Safety Precautions First

Must wear work gloves to protect yourself from injuries and cuts. Thorns, vines, and other sharp objects could fly over as your trimmer begins to cut. Sturdy boots or shoes play a huge role in providing great protection to your feet (in case any heavy objects fall)

Safety goggles are another important item you should carry to prevent debris from getting into your eyes. Some people also go with a full-face shield, so no stone is left unturned — the choice is yours!

The earplugs are needed only if you are using a gas-powered trimmer. Battery and electric hedgers are quieter and don’t require any kind of ear protection.

Step 2. Plan Your Approach for Efficient Blackberry Cutting

Now, it’s time to plan your approach and strategy. If you need to trim a bulk amount of blackberry, divide them into sections. At a time, work on just one area and then move on to the other one.

This will make your work a lot easier. Once you have divided that area, examine the one you are going to trim first. 

Remove all large rocks, metallic objects, and anything that shouldn’t be there!

After that, ensure that there are no people or pets nearby. Place the trap under the specific blackberry bush you’ll trim. And then, hold the tool firmly in both hands before turning it on.

Step 3. Determine Your Starting Point

Position yourself 30 to 36 inches from ground level and turn on the hedger. Slowly sweep the tool from left to right or right to left, based on your preference. 

Although the hedger may be long enough to reach deep into the blackberry bush, it’s best to start by removing the outer layer of vines from one side to the other. 

Avoid overworking the hedger by cutting too many thick vines at once. When you reach the end of the bush, sweep the hedger in the opposite direction to remove the next layer of vines. 

Now, repeat this process until all the vines are trimmed to 30 to 36 inches. This should be done at the end of summer, following the growing and fruiting season.

Step 4. Sweep the Hedger from 12-14 Inches Above the Ground

Take your trimmer back out in the winter to perform pruning tasks of the lateral shoots. Then, sweep the trimmer downward from a height of around 12 to 14 inches.

It’ll remove all the shoots and overgrown blackberry bushes that are sticking out from the plant. Amazing, isn’t it?

Furthermore, sweep your tool across many bushes that appear to be dead to remove them at the ground level.

Step 5. Keep the blade moving smoothly and evenly

Try getting the blade moving as evenly, as smoothly as possible. If you attach a string or series along two stakes, you can utilize that as a guide to keep all the trimmer cuts even.

Your tool’s blade might be capable of trimming deeper than a few inches. But never try to cut too deeply, as it will make you remove even the material that doesn’t need to be removed.

Step 6. Dispose Of Yard Waste

Last but not least, collect all the clippings carefully from the tarp and place them inside a plastic bag to dispose of them effectively. 

Go to the very next blackberry bush & simply repeat the procedure. Lay out the tarp so that it’s more convenient to clean and collect the clippings.

Related: What Can a Hedge Trimmer Cut

Pruning Made Easy: How To Dispose of Blackberry Bushes Like a Pro!

When it comes to bushes and hedges, blackberry is absolutely one of the favorites. These plants are not just beautiful, but they also produce delicious fruit. But before you get started with cutting these plants, it’s necessary to prepare them efficiently.

Below are some useful tips & tricks you should follow to trim the blackberry bushes in an incredible way:

• When you’re done with setting up everything, start by cutting off any diseased or dead branches using the blade of your trimmer.
• Always make sure that you wear protective gear while working with bushes or hedges – even small cuts can cause infection if you don’t treat them promptly!
• Use your hands to guide the trimmer blade along the branch so it is trimmed completely without leaving cuts or unsightly stubs.
• Once the blackberry bush has been properly trimmed, it’s time to start cleanup! Don’t forget to wash your blackberry removal equipment thoroughly after every use. This will prevent any build-ups of leaves and debris on the blades.
• Remember to lubricate all the moving parts of your tool on a regular basis to avoid reducing its lifespan.
• Lastly, take some extra time every year to repot the bushes or hedges into fresh soil to ensure healthy growth!

That’s all about the tips that should be followed while cutting blackberries! Make sure that you don’t skip even a single of them. Otherwise, you can be in huge trouble in the future.

Related:How To Use Black and Decker Hedge Trimmer

Buyers Guide: Things to Look Out for Before Making a Purchase

Numerous factors can help you choose the perfect trimmer for your blackberries & other precious plants. To assist you in this, I’m here with the top elements you need to consider while buying one for you.

Here we go;

• Sharp Blades

Before you acquire a stihl hedge trimmer, you must inspect the blades to check out their sharpness. 

If the blades aren’t sharp enough, it can cost you additional effort, time, and money to sharpen or replace them. 

• Adjustable Head

Here comes another important factor to keep in mind. An adjustable head permits unrestricted movement in all directions freely. 

You can do any task effortlessly and efficiently as the head of the trimmer can be adjusted to fit your individual needs.

• Durability

Prior to choosing a trimmer, make sure that it’s built using the best possible craftsmanship and is highly effective. 

These trimmers can incredibly boost the durability of the trimmer and make it more compatible and durable.

• Multi-purpose Tool

Ascertain that the one you choose comes with multi-purpose functionality. 

In this way, you can accomplish various tasks with the help of a trimmer and also save considerable time and effort.

Additionally, trimmers with extension poles are useful in many ways.

Related: Why Is My Hedge Trimmer Blade Not Moving

Frequently Asked Questions

1) How often should I cut blackberry bushes?

You can do heavy cutting during dormancy, early spring, or later winters with the help of a blackberry bush trimmer. Shears can also be used for light pruning.

2) Should I always cut bushes with a hedge trimmer?

No, that’s not important if you only need to remove a bulk amount of material. If you have to prune the tops and remove just a few branches, loppers or pruning shears will be enough.

3) What type of hedge trimmer should I use on blackberry bushes?

It relies on how much material you’re going to trim. If it’s a matter of a few branches, a hedge trimmer is not really required—a lopper will do the job efficiently. Moreover, if you want to cut a small among of bushes, a good battery-powered hedger will work fine. For medium-sized trimming, going with an electric trimmer can never go wrong.

4) I tried cutting a branch/vine, but my hedge trimmer stopped working. Why?

The vine or branches are somehow thick for the blades. Hedge trimmers can cut materials that fit between their teeth (the normal space is around ¾ inches). Therefore, whatever you’re cutting shouldn’t be more than that! Otherwise, the blade won’t move properly.

Conclusion

Hedge trimmers are an ideal tool to consider when it comes to maintaining your garden in the best way possible.

But can they cut blackberry bushes too? Absolutely yes!

In this guide, I have explored the steps to cut blackberries and the cost-effective tips you need to know. 

Acknowledging all the steps properly, you’ll have a better understanding of whether you can use the trimmer to trim blackberry bushes yourself or not.

Good luck, folks!