Raspberry Plants As Weeds

• Raspberries are delicious and nutritious food, but they can quickly overtake a yard. Raspberry vines may spread either by their roots or by readily sprouting seeds. In some areas, raspberries are also considered noxious weeds that threaten native species, as reported by Prairie Frontier. When gardeners discover raspberry vines where they don't want them, there are several options for removing the weeds. All take persistence and patience, but all will eventually kill off the vine.

Cutting and Digging

• This is the most natural method of removing unwanted raspberry vines, and it's the one recommended by Conway Lum of GardenWise magazine. Begin by donning a long sleeved shirt, pants, foot-covering shoes (not sandals), and gloves. Using sharp pruning shears or loppers, cut back the raspberry vines until they are only a few inches above the soil. Throw the cut off vines in the garbage, or burn them. Using a spade, dig up the remaining parts of the vines, being careful to remove every bit of root you can see. Repeat as vines reappear. Eventually, with careful digging, the vines will stop coming up.

Rototilling

• Extension offices all over the U.S., including North Dakota State University Extension, recommend digging up undesirable raspberry plants, but a more modern take on this method involves using a rototiller. If vines are large, don protective clothing and cut the plant back to a manageable size using loppers or pruning shears. Rototill the area. Pick up any bits of vine or roots and dispose of them in the garbage. You may also burn them. Repeated rototilling and clean up will eventually kill the vine.

Spraying

• The fastest way to kill unwanted raspberry plants is to spray them with an herbicide like RoundUp or Brush-B-Gon. However, herbicides should be used as a last resort; as the Organic Consumers Organization's website reports, many noxious plants are becoming resistant to them. Wearing protective clothing, cut back the vines with pruning shears or loppers, until they are just a few inches above the ground. Leave a few raspberry leaves on the canes. Following the manufacturer's directions carefully, spray the herbicide on the leaves and the cut, open end of the canes. Repeat as necessary until the vines die.

Mulch

• According to GardenWise magazine's Conway Lum, laying a heavy mulch down over and around undesirable raspberry vines should weaken the plants, helping to smother them out. The mulch should be at least 4 inches deep. This method is a good choice when gardener's can't tackle the problem vines right away, or as a way of increasing the effectiveness of the cutting and digging or rototilling methods.