Dealing with unwanted grass by Rasberries and Blackberries

 Any and all advice welcome.

Three years ago I planted one grape, one rasberry, and one blackberry (small
bushes/vines) along 50 feet of fence at the rear of my yard.  The grape and
rasberry have grown little / only slightly.  The Blackberry has propogated
into some 30 plants via underground runners (so much so that I have moved 10
to my side fence).

The grass I once wanted along the back fence is now a nuisance.  I have to
cut it by hand with scissors or small sheers because an electric weedeater
would also cut down the blackberry vines that produce delicous berries.

So what is best to give me a well groomed look but be low or no maintenance.
If I have to choose between the two on this particular subject, I prefer
low/no maintenance over well groomed.  The area I am talking about is a 2
foot strip approximately 50 feet in length.  Here are my thoughts so far.
1) I am willing to hand pull or dig the sod once (probably take me a while).
2)  If I were to put down felt to prevent grass re-appearing  I perceive I
will stop the blackberries which I love from further propogating.  This
seems bad as the blackberry canes that produce must be cut to the ground
before winter/in fall, and new canes replace them via underground runners.
3) I could put down real or rubberized mulch but perceive the grass would
just spread/grow through in about a year (creating more work to clean up the
area if I used rubberized mulch).  Regular mulch I could leave and add to
next year, but perceive the grass woud just start spreading and growing into
it in a year.
4)  Round-up on the grass would likely kill or affect the blackberries.

Any ideas welcome.   Thanks in advance.

Andy

 On Thu, 12 May 2005 13:36:11 GMT, "1_Patriotic_Guy"


grass is then
go to a garden center and buy some bales of bark chippings and cover
the fabric to about 1 & 1/2" that should solve your problem.

 I used to run the mower along my berries and grapes, but grass still got
close in around the roots.  Here in the U.S. we have a product referred to
as "over the top" grass killer.  It can be sprayed on the grass and will
leave the rest alone.  You might ask around at your garden centers and see
it you have it there.

Dwayne