On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 08:11:34 -0400, Cheryl Isaak
wrote:

My daughter (age 6) asked that as we trimmed the wild raspberries back (yet
again).

I find sources on line that say no or poorly. I'd try the experiment with
her, but she's a little young for a multiple year experiment. And previous
trimmings are not easily accessible - I've been taking them to the dump to
keep them out of my compost piles.

Cheryl

I have blackberries and before I prune them I drag a Scotch pad, those
green scruffy pads for pots and non-stick surfaces, up and down the
stems to open the thorns (so to speak). It helps give the bacteria
and fungi a place to enter and they decompose MUCH faster this way.
Otherwise, they will decompose eventually, but it takes a very long
time and if you reach into the pile you will get stuck up to a year
later. Especially if there are hard core thorns like Rosa rugosa.
Ouch!

Victoria