Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: David R on May 02, 2005, 10:14:51
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I have not got it on the allotment - would have given up, sold my house and moved to iceland if I had!
However, interesting thing I saw on the net the other day - apparently its edible :o
It can be used as rhubarb. This could be the answer to the nations woes. Does anyone have it on their allotment?
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Poor you Dominique, and welcome! Don't cry too much :( Am I right in saying Japenese knotweed should be reported to the council and they have to get rid of it, or was that a dream I once had???
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I do not think it is a dream - Japanese knotweed is public enemy number one and has relegated the colorado beetle to an also ran. However, having said that, Councils can be a little slow to pull their fingers out with problems like these.
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Hi Dominique - that is a disgrace that you were given an allotment with Japanese Knotweed.
It spreads incredibly fast, and will not allow anything esle to grow in that ground. How big is your patch of JKW?
Is it part of a much larger infestation invading from around about you? If it is, I hate to say this - especially as I'm guessing you've put in an awful lot of work in the last few months - but I'd be looking for another plot? I can't imagine a worse weed - but maybe others can pop in and say I'm being unnecessarily apocalyptic?
Just a few links for more info (we had JKW on the edge of our last plot - and guess what, the council put a ....... great rotovator through it. DUH! Apart from being illegal.)
The law (huh!) http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment/knotweed/jap4.htm
Advice for householders http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment/knotweed/jap3.htm
There's also the JKW Alliance at http://www.cabi-bioscience.org/html/japanese_knotweed_alliance.htm
All best - Gavin
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Dumb blonde moment, but I wouldn't know it if I saw it! Have googled, but am still a little vague about what it really looks like! I shall have to investigate!
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>:( All I know is that it is big and bold and can devastate the land far worse than couch grass and you should really report it to Dr Who who may be able to exterminate it, God willing :o :o
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I joined the Couch, mares tail and knot weed brigade on the weekend too.
spent ages pulling out the couch and mares tail only too see what I am sure is knot weed coming up in the onion patch. My plot sucks I think. I will prevail though..... Mwwaaahhhhahahahahah.
Lots of diggin to be done........ need to get the missus hypnotherapy though to get her digging on the lottie as she is scared of the spiders! :)
L.
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J K is a nasty plant - it grows from rizomes in the ground so is very difficult to get rid of. Bacially when you cut it down / dig it out, the rizomes say criky I'm being attacked and grow faster !! >:(
If you want to get rid of it the best method is to dig it out - you need to dig up to 3 meters down (removing all the soil) and treat with a strong weed killer.
NB it is illegal to spread J K which means that any soil that you remove if you dig it out CAN NOT go to your local tip - under UK law it is classed as special / hazardous waste and must be taken to a special landfill site with the licence to accept it. >:( ??? ???
It can take 3-4 years to get rid of it. Due to the whole legal issues I would advise not to eat it as digging it up without care can cause it to spread which is against the law. :-\
Speak to your council - they may be able to help you or treat it for you. ;)
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inject the stems with roundup year after year and it will weaken it (eventually).
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You should report it to your council - it's a notifiable weed.
I've heard that you need to treat it with weedkiller in the autumn so as the plant is naturally returning the goodness to the rhizone, it also transfers the weedkiller, hence killing it quicker than at any other time of the year.
I garden organically, but must admit that if I got knotweed, I would use chemicals. It grows near the station near my office and it's grown about 2ft in a month. yuck.
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Knotweed, what a nuissance for you! I have Ground Elder romping through one of my borders. Neither of these two is at all desirable. :P
I'm organic too, but I am thinking of getting some paint-on glyphosate for the Ground Elder. It seems almost impossible to pull it out by hand OR digging (not that there is the space for that where it is growing). I don't feel I have much choice if I want to get rid of it. And I know that even with chemical help it is going to be a case of repeated application. :P :P :P
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I haven't got it on the allotment - yet - but do know that it's Public Enemy No.1, along with Himalayan Balsam and some other nasties. I got involved with these on a Conservation Working Holiday a few years ago, when we had to try and eradicate them from a Welsh hillside. This was with BTCV - who are great, and I had some of my best holidays with them - and had some other weeks with them getting rid of that other monster imported by the Victorians - Rhododendrons. Also Ragwort - though I learnt later that this is an important plant for the caterpillars of the cinnabar moth which is the only plant they eat. Anyway, good luck with getting rid of it.
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Ragwort is only a problem for horses and then only when dried and mixed with hay so hopefully not too much to worry about on your lottie.
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Hi Dominique,
A friend of mine had a small patch of Kw in the garden of his newly purchased abode, this was a few years ago.
Not being the gardening type he resorted to the Troglodyte solution.
He dug down about 3 feet and got fed up digging down, he then dug a 6 foot circular trench to the same level and had a bonfire in it.
he kept the bonfire going for two days and threw the the roots that he had dug out into the fire.
The result was that he cooked it to death and it never came back up.
I don't know if this would work for a large infestation of this weed but I just thought I would pass it on to you.
PREMTAL
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Konditor and Cook, posh bakers in London are selling JKW tarts "taste like rhubarb" !!!
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Is Knotweed the same as bindweed?? It definitely sounds the same. We have shed loads in our garden and next door and next door and nexr door...I got told once that something in the roots of marigolds inhibits its growth, so I'm spreading marigold seeds like a madman/woman. Don't know if it'll work, but if they are the same thing, give it a go. You'll end up with pretty flowers anyway. :)
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I don't think it is the same thing- although I think its spreading habit is the same. I know that Japanese Knotweed can grow through concrete and houses etc....
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No, it's not the same. Try this link
http://weeds.cropsci.uiuc.edu/images/Japanese%20Knotweed/pages/Japanese%20Knotweed.htm
It shows the early season's growth.
This one shows later growth, and the damage it can cause.
http://www.ex.ac.uk/knotweed/Introduction.htm
We have a small patch about 50 yards from our lottie, sprayed it with glyphosate last summer, it didn't kill it then, but it hasn't come up as yet this year...
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No :( - bindweed's a very gentle and well-behaved pussycat compared to JKW!
I like your solution, Premtal - something to bear in mind; good for the soul if nothing else ;D
All best - Gavin
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u lot are scaring the 'human manure' out of me!
i think i need my teddy in bed with me tonight.
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Hi Bananagirl,
Ordinary Marigold will be pleasing to the eye but have no effect on Bindweed.
The plant you are thinking about is Mexican Marigold
(Tagetes Minuta) it is grown in this country as an annual and in a good season will grow 5 feet tall and 4 feet across.
In my experience it was not very successful in curtailing
Bindweed but can be used with a good measure of success where Ground Elder is a problem.
It is also said to deter to growth of Couch Grass and Ground Ivy, but I cannot confirm this claim.
There are chemical compounds exuded by the root of this plant which it is claimed are the reason for its use in weed control.
In the country of origin the dried leaves are used to flavour soups and meat, recent research suggests that it has powerful anti-viral properties.
You can purchase the seeds from Chiltern Seeds at their website or by post.
PS It germinates without any problems, but very rarely
flowers in our climate.
I hope this information is of some help to you.
PREMTAL
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After reading this thread I believe I have this weed in my back garden. What dept. of the local council do I contact to see if I am suppose to report it? Thanks for any advice.
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I would start with the Environmental dept, these guys deal with stuff like fly tipping, noise, asbestos etc.
Good luck
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No, it's not the same. Try this link
http://weeds.cropsci.uiuc.edu/images/Japanese%20Knotweed/pages/Japanese%20Knotweed.htm
It shows the early season's growth.
This one shows later growth, and the damage it can cause.
http://www.ex.ac.uk/knotweed/Introduction.htm
We have a small patch about 50 yards from our lottie, sprayed it with glyphosate last summer, it didn't kill it then, but it hasn't come up as yet this year...
spoke too soon, it came up the other day....
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Being new to allotments, this tread frightened me, so yesterday I decided I would have a look around the site I am on.
Yes!!, about 50 yards from my plot is this spike looking plant growing, on more looking it is rife, spreading all over the place.
I asked the sec. if it should not be being controled and was told that it is supposed to be, but the council havnt tackled it for nearly 2 years
At the speed that people have said it spreads I can see the allotments disappearing under this stuff.
Ron
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i cant remember the name of it but if councils fail to act on something re the allotments/removal of notifiable stuff etc there is an organisation who can make the council act re this and if they dont they do the work and charge them for it someone on here probably knows more knotweed is a mega prob weed used to try help control it when doing conservation work the seed pods explode at the slightest touch (putting a black bag over the top very carefully helps to stop the spreading of the seeds if u do attempt to dig it out ) also as someone pointed out it is an offence to remove it from the site good luck trying to get rid of it :-\
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I think you're talking about himalayan balsam with the exploding seedheads, japanese knotweed doesn't produce seed in this country as all the plants are female.
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you are right robin my mistake it is himalayan balsam with the exploding seed heads
p.s also a notifiable weed
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Hi,
This link has prompted me (again) to contact the council about the Japanese Knotweed spreading onto my allotment from adjoining land.
Before I did I spoke to a nice gentleman at DEFRA who told me that it is NOT notifiable to them, it is purely a matter for the landowner. It is not an offence to have the weed on your land, but it is an offence to "plant or encourage" it into the wild. This is under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. I'm not really sure what the definition of "wild" is.
I'm awaiting my call back from the council with interest.
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Well Dominique, apparently thats edible too ;D
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Do not under any cirumstances let this put you off posting on here. I think we all make posts we later regret - mine are usually between 11.30 and 12.00pm on a Friday night.
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Do not under any cirumstances let this put you off posting on here. I think we all make posts we later regret - mine are usually between 11.30 and 12.00pm on a Friday night.
At which time they always make perfect sense to me !! ;D
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Do not under any cirumstances let this put you off posting on here. I think we all make posts we later regret - mine are usually between 11.30 and 12.00pm on a Friday night.
At which time they always make perfect sense to me !! ;D
We ask a daft question.
We get an answer (or two).
We learn.
That's why we're here. don't go away Dom :)
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I am currently house-hunting and have been surprised at just how many times I have spotted Japanese Knotweed in the garden of the house I am viewing. Luckily I have not had seen the right house yet as if I had and it had JKW then I would be in a dilemma whether to make an offer or not!
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I would, a garden full of that would surely knock enough off the price to make the effort of dealing with it worthwhile!
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I have been trying to get rid of JKW for 10 years and am still working at it. I have hit it with every herbicide known and it still comes back though the area isnt solid as it used to be with hundreds of stems. Now 15-20 stalks are waiting for me to dig out. Anywhere the stalk falls, a new plant will grow. So don't compost it, toss it in the trash or leave it to dry out on a bit of concrete and then send it out in the trash. Its insidious and where I live the county comes by and sprays it if we dont dig it out ourselves and god only knows what herbicides they use.
The leaves are heart shaped, a bit bigger than my hand spaced at the length of my forearm. It grows to over 2 meters tall with rag weedy looking blossoms at the top. Its segmented like bamboo but soft life rhubarb and as big around as my thumb. Pretty but insidious.
Good luck with yours,
peg