A garden doesn’t get overgrown overnight — it’s usually a few missed weekends that turn into a few missed months, and suddenly brambles have swallowed a border, bindweed is strangling everything in its path, and the whole space feels like too much to face. It’s more common than it feels, and every bit of it is fixable.
This guide walks through the best way to get rid of brambles and bindweed specifically, general weeding techniques for bringing beds back under control, and a sensible order of operations for tackling an overgrown garden from scratch — plus when it’s genuinely worth handing the job to someone else.
How to Get Rid of Brambles
Brambles are one of the toughest weeds to remove properly, mainly because it’s easy to clear the visible growth and leave the root system very much alive underneath.
- Cut back what’s visible. Using a strimmer or long-handled loppers, cut stems down to short, identifiable stumps of an inch or so — these mark exactly where the roots are, which matters for the next step.
- Dig out the root ball. This is the step that actually stops brambles coming back. Use a garden fork to work around each stump and lift the root system out as completely as possible — any significant root left behind can resprout.
- Dispose of cuttings and roots properly. Never put bramble roots or stems on a home compost heap — they can root again from cuttings. Bag them for council green waste collection, or take them to a local tip.
- Use a systemic weedkiller on regrowth if needed. For particularly stubborn patches, a glyphosate-based weedkiller applied to any regrowth can finish off root fragments that were missed, though it needs calm, dry weather to work properly and avoid drift onto other plants.
- Stay on top of regrowth. Check the area every few weeks after the initial clearance and pull up any new shoots while they’re small — this is far easier than letting them re-establish.
Wear thornproof gloves throughout — brambles are unforgiving on bare hands, and a decent pair of gauntlets makes the whole job considerably less painful.
Dealing With Bindweed (and Why It Keeps Coming Back)
If brambles are hard work, bindweed is the weed most likely to make you want to give up on a border entirely. Its white, trumpet-shaped flowers look almost pretty — but underneath, it spreads through a network of brittle roots that snap easily, and any fragment left in the soil can grow into a new plant.
Manual removal: Dig out as much root as possible, ideally when the soil is damp and roots come away more easily. This needs to be repeated regularly — often for more than one growing season — since it’s rare to get every fragment on the first attempt.
Bindweed killer (chemical control): A glyphosate-based systemic weedkiller is the most effective bindweed killer, since it’s absorbed through the leaves and carried down into the root system. Summer, while the plant is actively flowering, tends to be the most effective time to apply it. To protect nearby plants, unwind bindweed stems from anything they’re climbing before treating them, or use a gel formulation for more precise, targeted application.
Smothering and mulching: In beds where digging isn’t practical, cutting bindweed back to the ground repeatedly weakens the plant over time, and a thick mulch layer helps suppress regrowth by blocking light.
Realistically, full eradication of an established bindweed patch takes more than one season — the goal early on is steady reduction rather than an instant fix.
General Weeding Techniques for an Overgrown Garden
Beyond brambles and bindweed, most overgrown gardens have a mix of general weeds that respond well to a more straightforward approach:
- Hand-weeding after rain. Weeds pull out with their roots far more easily when the soil is damp, so weeding after rainfall (or a good watering) saves considerable effort.
- Hoeing regularly. For open beds, running a hoe through every couple of weeks catches weed seedlings before they establish a root system worth worrying about.
- Mulching bare soil. A layer of bark, compost, or membrane over cleared ground starves new weed seeds of the light they need to germinate, cutting down on repeat weeding significantly.
- Feed and weed for lawns. For weeds growing in the lawn specifically (rather than borders), a “feed and weed” product combines a fertiliser with a selective herbicide that targets broadleaf lawn weeds like dandelions and clover, without harming the grass — a different approach to the bed and border techniques above.
De-weeding an entire overgrown garden rarely happens in one sitting — tackling it in sections, working through the worst areas first, keeps the job manageable rather than overwhelming.
Tackling an Overgrown Garden Step by Step
When an entire garden has gotten away, rather than just one bed, it helps to work through it in a sensible order:
- Cut back tall growth first — brambles, overgrown shrubs, and long grass — so you can actually see what you’re dealing with underneath.
- Clear paths and access points so the rest of the garden is safe and easy to move around while you work.
- Tackle the worst offenders — brambles and bindweed — using the methods above, since these are the ones that will keep spreading if left until last.
- Weed remaining beds and borders, working section by section rather than trying to do the whole garden at once.
- Mulch cleared ground to slow down new weed growth while everything else settles.
- Mow and tidy the lawn last, once the harder clearance work is done.
When It’s Time to Call In Help
Struggling with this? Here’s how we’d tackle it. An overgrown garden clearance is genuinely hard, physical work — root systems can run deep, brambles fight back, and the sheer volume of green waste from a garden that’s been left for a season or two often surprises people. A professional clearance covers cutting back and removing overgrown growth, digging out root systems properly (rather than leaving regrowth to deal with later), and taking all the waste away — without you needing a strimmer, a trailer, or a weekend you don’t have.
It’s also often the more efficient option: what might take several exhausting weekends to do properly can usually be done in a single visit by a team with the right tools and experience.
FAQ
What is the best way to get rid of brambles permanently?
Cut back the visible growth, then dig out the full root system with a fork — this is the step most people skip, and it’s why brambles come back. A glyphosate-based weedkiller on any regrowth can finish off missed root fragments.
What is the best bindweed killer?
A glyphosate-based systemic weedkiller, applied to the leaves during summer while the plant is actively growing, is generally the most effective chemical option. Manual digging, repeated over more than one season, also works but takes longer.
Why does bindweed keep coming back after I pull it out?
Bindweed roots break very easily, and any fragment left in the soil can grow into a new plant. Full eradication usually takes repeated treatment across more than one growing season.
What’s the difference between weeding and feed and weed?
Weeding (by hand, hoe, or spot treatment) is for borders and beds. Feed and weed is a lawn-specific product that combines fertiliser with a selective herbicide, killing broadleaf weeds in the grass without damaging the lawn itself.
How much does it cost to clear an overgrown garden?
Costs vary with how overgrown the garden is and how much waste needs removing, but a typical overgrown garden clearance runs from around £150 up to £400 or more for larger or more established gardens. A free quote is the most accurate way to get a figure for your own garden.
Ready to Get Your Garden Back Under Control?
If brambles, bindweed, or general overgrowth have taken over, Southern Garden Maintenance provides overgrown garden clearance across Surrey and West Sussex — cutting back, digging out roots, and removing all the green waste in one visit.
Call 07376 974498 or request a free, no-obligation quote for garden clearance.