The calls usually start the same way: "It's gotten away from us." A back slope that hasn't been touched in five years, a side yard the blackberry has claimed, a property just bought or about to be sold that needs to look like someone cares about it. This is a lot of what we do, and it's worth knowing what the job actually involves before you get a quote.
First, the plants. Himalayan blackberry is the main opponent in this part of Washington. It grows several feet a season, roots wherever a cane touches ground, and cutting it back without dealing with the roots just gives you a tidy-looking yard for about six weeks. Salal, ivy and laurel that's gone feral are the other regulars. Each needs a slightly different approach, but the principle is the same: cut it, pull or grub the roots, and haul every bit of it off site.
Second, the ground. Once the growth comes off a slope, you find out what's under it — old fence panels, buried debris, a grade that runs straight toward the house. Part of a proper cleanup is dealing with that: raking the slope out, limbing up the trees so light gets in, and deciding what the space is going to be. Left bare, a cleared slope will be blackberry again in two seasons.
That's the third part, and the one people skip. A cleared area needs something on it. Bark mulch over fabric is the usual answer for slopes and beds — it suppresses regrowth, holds the soil, and looks finished. Gravel works for paths and side yards that get walked on. Turf works on flat ground that's going to get mowed. Whatever it is, putting it down as part of the cleanup is much cheaper than coming back a year later to clear the same slope again.
How long does it take? A badly overgrown side yard is usually a day. A back slope like the one in the photo is two to three days for a crew, with the haul-off included — clearing generates a surprising amount of material, and a big slope can fill a trailer several times over. Bigger lots we'll walk with you and phase if that makes more sense for your budget.
What it costs comes down to three things: how much area, how heavy the growth, and how hard it is to get to. A flat, open back yard with tall grass and some brush is a small job. A steep slope of established blackberry with no access except through a gate is a bigger one. We can usually give you a close number from a few photos, and a firm one after a quick site visit.
One thing we'll always tell you up front: if the property is going to be maintained after the cleanup, say so. It changes what we do — we'll leave edges we can mow to, cut things back to where a trimmer can reach, and set it up for regular visits. A cleanup that's designed to be maintained stays cleaned up.
Got a yard that's gotten away from you? Call Goodfellas Landscape at (360) 402-9183 or send a couple of photos through the form. Free estimates across Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Tacoma, Puyallup and Gig Harbor.