I have now completed the second bed and developed my best method to tackle the Job
As I have now gained a lot of experience, I thought it would be worth while detailing the method I have arrived at which seems to be very effective.
I originally set off using the slasher to cut down the brambles but I have found that the Azada is a better tool for this. In fact he Azada has proved to be the all-round multi-tasking tool of choice.
Step One - Cut down and clear the bramble top growth
Ensure the Azada is sharp, use a stone on the edge of the blade if necessary before you start and at regular intervals while you work. Work into the brambles, swinging the Azada down and towards your feet (without hitting them!) from chest height in a curving downward sweep so that it contacts the bramble stems just at ground level. This will sever the thickest brambles in one clean go.
The bramble tops can then be fairly easily raked away into a pile using the 3-prong fork (and heavy-duty leather gloves!). I found the best method was to concentrate on one bramble plant at a time, ensuring all the stalks have been severed before moving on to the next as this prevents snagging of stalks still attached to the plant.
Step Two - Rake away the rubbish where you intend to dig
Use a decent rake to clear the ground of dead growth, rubbish, sticks, stones etc.
Step Three - Remove any turf
If there is any heavy grass growth beneath the brambles, remove it by chopping with the Azada and dragging the turf off the area you are working on. At this point you wll see the many bramble stumps clearly nosing out of the ground.
Step Four - Start to trench out
Use the Azada to take out a deep trench, the full width of the plot to be worked. Try to make this trench double the depth of the Azada blade as this will allow you to fetch up the very deep bramble roots. The Azada is very good at this double trenching, you swipe the first cut down from ground level and pull the soil back onto the top of the pile you are standing on, then swipe again at the base of the new cut you have made and the Azada will drive easily into the deeper ground. The long handle on the Azada makes this a very natural operation. Dragging the soil backwards onto the ground beneath your feet will have the effect of separating the bramble roots from the soil and you should then be able to pick up most from the top of the pile.
When you encounter a bramble plant it will probably be very large and thick and very firmly rooted into the soil. I have found that the best method is to chop away the soil on each side of the bramble root first as this severs a lot of the roots. You will be helped by the fact that the root is now teetering on the top of the deep trench you have made. A final swipe with the blade, hard behind the root ball will enable you to push the Azada handle forward and lever the bramble root out in one piece.
You need to constantly remove the roots as you loosen them to prevent them being covered again by the soil you are dragging out.
Step Five - Rake out and remove the roots
When you have made a few feet of progress up the plot, return to the start point and use the 3-prong fork to drag through the loose soil you have heaped up to recover any root stems which you missed or were buried on the first pass. This sounds laborious but in fact you will probably find the break from the trenching work with the Azada welcome as non-stop digging with the Azada will tend to tire your arm muscles.
Step Six - Rake again with a finer rake
When you have completed the plot, you can go over again with a close fingered rake to collect the smaller root stems which you will undoubtedly have missed.
That's it, level the plot with the 3-Prong Rake or Azada and you are good to go.
it is worth noting that the bramble roots will have many very thin hairlike growths which you will have little chance of removing completely in one go. My plan is to keep a sharp eye on the plot over time and to remove any new bramble top growth which develops from these very small bits of root as soon as I spot them. Hopefully, over time, this should have the effect of discouraging the bramble growth as without leaf growth, the roots should eventually expire. I am ready to accept that this may take several seasons on my very badly overgrown ground.
A final word, if you are facing a similar task to me, initially you may become a little overwhelmed by the scale of the task. Don't give up, as you progress you will get great satisfaction in reclaiming the plot. Take it section by section so that you can see some finished areas. I now find I can complete a plot 3 metres by 9 metres from start to finish in around 3 hours thanks to the tools.
I bought mine online from a lovely helpful chap named Simon who has a very helpful website at: www.get-digging.co.uk
