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Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: dimmo on August 02, 2006, 12:26:47

Title: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: dimmo on August 02, 2006, 12:26:47
Has anybody got any good ideas about how to get rid of japaneese knotweed.

many thanks
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: saddad on August 02, 2006, 23:05:21
Keep digging... any plant needs to photosynthesise to develop roots ... Don't let it!
;D
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: Roy Bham UK on August 02, 2006, 23:43:45
:o eek! not nice :( it's like something from outer space, difficult to eradicate, don't dump any soil containing it as you could get prosecuted :o

Here's a link ...

http://www.cabi-bioscience.org/html/japanese_knotweed_alliance.htm#prob
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: Emagggie on August 03, 2006, 00:13:11
We have the dreaded Knotweed creeping through from the pub car park next door again. Last time it cost the brewery an 8 ft wall 30ft long as it caused it to fall over.They are supposed to keep treating it till it gives up but the 'experts' appear to have given up-hence the re-emergence.
On taking advice myself, Round-up industrial strength,( not cheap,) applied to the leaves every time they appear should do the trick eventually. Could be up to 5 applications. Here's hoping. :)
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: OliveOil on August 03, 2006, 00:35:02
This takes YEARS to get rid of... I would very much inform the local council and let them deal with it as if it gets to neighbouring gardens  it will totally decimate the houses!

In my previous job I had to organise our case as we inadvertently disturbed JKW during a new build contract - even though the council hadnt identified any JKW in the area.

The Victorians brought it over all that long ago thinking it was such a pretty plant! As with many plants that the brits thought were pretty at the time - messing with ecology they stuffed up yet Again!

Do lots of google searches - do not underestimate the damage this weed can do!
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: OliveOil on August 03, 2006, 00:36:17
Quote from: Emagggie on August 03, 2006, 00:13:11
We have the dreaded Knotweed creeping through from the pub car park next door again. Last time it cost the brewery an 8 ft wall 30ft long as it caused it to fall over.They are supposed to keep treating it till it gives up but the 'experts' appear to have given up-hence the re-emergence.
On taking advice myself, Round-up industrial strength,( not cheap,) applied to the leaves every time they appear should do the trick eventually. Could be up to 5 applications. Here's hoping. :)

What a nightmare! I hope it works - it can grow underground and come up through brickwork/concrete floors!
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: Emagggie on August 03, 2006, 07:46:47
Yep. coming up nicely through the pavement right now  :(
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: robkb on August 03, 2006, 10:08:21
God, I have nightmares about this stuff! It's taken me five years of twice-yearly applications of Roundup to kill ours >:( :o It truly is the spawn of Satan, and is the only thing in my garden where organic principles go out of the window :-[ Good luck...
Cheers,
Rob ;)
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: moonbells on August 03, 2006, 10:45:48
It doesn't help that folk who ought to know better sometimes don't.

I noticed a clump growing on the roadside verge by the river on my way to work. I personally told one of the councillors who was concerned with the river and ecology, at one of the river public meetings.  I was told that the information was appreciated, but that they need a DEFRA licence to treat it and destroy the remains by incineration, and so they would start the process. Several weeks passed, with the clump getting taller.

Then the council workmen came and mowed the verge.

Believe me, I'm never going to buy compost from the municipal dump!!!!!

moonbells
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: OliveOil on August 03, 2006, 12:04:51
God that is incredible!  Sounds liek the council needs reporting!
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: trojanrabbit on August 03, 2006, 12:53:35
As I think I mentioned before, there are a hundred odd vacant allotments up the valley from me all pretty overgrown, but many now falling to the knotweed  :'(

There's loads of it all round Sheffield. I've tried hassling the council a couple of times, and frankly they seem to have neither budget nor desire to do anything about it  >:(
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: robkb on August 03, 2006, 15:00:06
The last time I saw a really impressive outbreak of it was at, of all places, Hampton Court Palace :o - was wandering by one of the lakes and OH and I both stopped and stared in disbelief! Maybe they were restoring the gardens to some kind of Victorian authenticity...?

Cheers,
Rob ;)
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: Emagggie on August 03, 2006, 15:15:01
Our local council nurseries back onto my garden,they have it growing nearer and nearer to their huge compost heap every year.......in the meantime  pedestrians are attacked by the blessed stuff every time they pass.Now I notice it's on the other side of the road just where a new golf course is being built.!
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on August 03, 2006, 15:47:20
There was a massive stand of it (about 100 yards across!) on the moor above where I used to live in Cornwall, stifling all else. We have it on the site, but only on a few plots, fortunately.
Title: Re: Japaneese knotweed
Post by: OliveOil on August 03, 2006, 16:18:33
I find this utterly unbelievable after all the stress it caused at work when i had to deal with it... Oh well! ???