Way to organically remove invasive blackberry vines?

Invasive Himalayan blackberries are a big problem in Oregon. After spending a day hacking back vines that suddenly showed up DD's urban yard, I'm wondering if there is any organic method of permanently discouraging this beast? Would a vinegar spray work?

A pot of boiling water poured on the rootball should kill it.

When we lived in Florida, blackberries showed up in the lawn. Hubby just kept mowing the shoots, and it finally gave up.

As far as we can tell, this one is coming in from an unkempt yard a block away. It sends runners underground undetected, with shoots popping up on the other side of the house.

Have you considered putting in some kind of underground barrier along your property line?

Good idea about the underground barrier. I wonder how far down we'd have to go? Maybe the Ag Extn Service has some info.

SnowlineRose - If this blackerry is on somekind of "Invasive Species" list then possibly your neighbor will have to get rid of it. I don't know about such things, but your local extention agent should know.

Even if a plant is so horribly invasive that it winds up on a state's noxious weed list, they still don't go around to people's yards making them get rid of it. They just ban it from being sold anywhere in that state. So I wouldn't count on the "plant police" showing up anytime soon to make them remove it--if you don't want it in your yard I'd talk to your extension office about how deep of a barrier you'd need.

Some areas though have rules about keeping your yard up--so if your area has a homeowner's association or any other sort of rules along those lines you might be able to complain and have someone force them to clean up their yard and keep it a little nicer.

Well, lookee here. The Himalayan Blackberry, alias Rubus armeniacus, is on Oregon's list of evil plants: http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/WEEDS/profile_himalayanblackberry.shtml

More in the PlantFiles: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/149759/

Oh too funny...

I just got back from a driving trip from my 'hood (SF bay area) through Oregon and to Seattle. I asked my husband, the Oregon native, if people go blackberry picking during the summer. He said you have to be careful because people spray them to try to keep them at bay.

The irony is that I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a whole grove of blackberries, but it is just too hot and dry to get much traction here.

Sigh.