Japanese knotweed

[James94]

Just been approached by the neighbours pointing out this plant, she says it Japanese knotweed. she has someone coming to look at it, has anyone had any experience with this type of issue and how did they sort it?

Regards. James

[SteamyTea]

 

[Digger1]

According to my plant identification app it is Japanese Knot Weed....

[Ferdinand]

It looks like  JK to me.

 

If it is Japanese Knotweed, then the appropriate regs need to be  followed.

 

But from what has been  posted it is not clear who owns what in the picture,  and therefore who is responsible.

 

So no one can help, or will comment very much in a way that will help.

 

Ferdinand

 

[James94]

Here’s a clearer photo.

 

The neighbour pointed it out to me this morning, it looks like it’s within their boundary/ their side of the chicken wire. She’s mentioned it could have came in the topsoil I had delivered over 2 months ago.

Edited September 30, 2021 by James94

[markc]

Certainly looks similar to knotweed but I’m no expert, getting rid of it is a time consuming and labour intensive process.

cheapest and easiest is to go around and inject glyphosate into each stem (repeat every couple of weeks), spray the smaller shoots. Dig a barrier trench to prevent further spreading but make sure this is far enough away that the root things haven’t already gone further than the trench.

[saveasteading]

I have dealt with it on several occasions, once formally and others informally.

Always successful.

 

I would expect a bit of red on the leaf but perhaps this is especially healthy.

As it is far from clear, it would be prudent to kill it.

 

This is what I would do, and you must make your own minds up, together with the neighbour,

 

Do not cut it back but spray it thoroughly with the nastiest systemic you can find.. 

Repeat whenever it dares show a leaf, and at least 4 sprayings per annum.

Expect to do this for 3 years and never relax until a year passes without any sight.

 

It is an offence to dispose of any cuttings incorrectly.

Therefore only when it is all dead, cut back the growth and BURN. 

 

Every node on every branch and root can grow a new shoot.

 

The official way of getting rid of it, which we proposed to the planners and then did, is to dig it all up (incl all roots and soil) , and bury it very deep (2m???) with polythene over. It dies.

Then also check the area regularly for any new growth.

 

OR get a specialist in and tell the LA. Allow several #k   oh my pound sign has become a #

several thousand pounds.

[Temp]

https://www.knotweedhelp.com/japanese-knotweed-uk-map-how-close-is-it-to-your-home/

 

Check if its in your area already. Might help you deflect any blame but best deal with it as it can affect property values and make houses harder to see. 

[James Newport]

14 minutes ago, James94 said:

it looks like it’s within their boundary/ their side of the chicken wire. She’s mentioned it could have came in the topsoil I had delivered over 2 months ago.

You had topsoil delivered to their garden? 

[James94]

2 minutes ago, James Newport said:

You had topsoil delivered to their garden? 

No the topsoil was for me, it’s been spread 5m away from where this is growing, it seems like she’s pointing the blame my way.

 

she has already been in touch with specialists who will be visiting on Monday. So I will keep you posted.

 

james

[Ferdinand]

I had a single stand treated professionally as a planning conditions.

 

It cost £300. They came and injected the weedkiller, then came a couple of times more to check when passing,  and a final visit and report  a year later.

 

To remove it by taking the soil out, it is something like 5m worth in every direction including down.

 

I wouldn't try and self-do it, but perhaps offer to split costs.

 

If it takes hold, you are in the pooh. 

 

If it is clearly only on your side, then pay all of it.

 

F

[Lorenz]

I did not know it was edible, but look it up on the net, should have large hollow stems, used to make all sorts from it as a kid.

[jack]

1 hour ago, James94 said:

No the topsoil was for me, it’s been spread 5m away from where this is growing, it seems like she’s pointing the blame my way.

 

I know it's an aggressive plant, but rhizome fragments don't extend themselves 5m underground without coming up to grow some leaves to power further expansion. If it's on her side of the boundary and not yours, she'll have difficulty pinning the blame on you imo.

That said, it's very close to your property, so it's in your interest to make sure it's sorted properly. I don't envy you!   

[joe90]

We have some near me on the verge, I spray it in the spring as soon as I see new growth and again if I see it pop up, relentless eh.

[Makeitstop]

That is 100% Japanese knotweed.

 

Not only can you easily tell by the leaves, but also by the visible flowering that occurs late summer early autumn. These are white  / off white and are as the image above shows, although these have fallen away almost completely now.

 

Treatment should be done when it's in full flower for best results, but as long as it's in leaf, it'll still do some good. Treatment needs to be repeated for a few years to eradicate it totally. It's fairly easily dealt with with good weedkillers, though for me, it's not you that's going to need to deal with it.

 

I don't buy it that the growth there is only from the last two months. The other vegetation around it looks way more established and settled to have had topsoil dropped over it recently. Anyhow, if it's on someone else's ground, it's not for you to prove you didn't put it there. 

 

[James94]

Thanks for all the great advice,

I'm hoping I won't be the one who has to deal with it, but now armed with this knowledge i can maybe offer her some advice on dealing with this stuff. I'll see what they say Monday.

Regards  James

[zoothorn]

On 30/09/2021 at 20:27, James94 said:

Thanks for all the great advice,

I'm hoping I won't be the one who has to deal with it, but now armed with this knowledge i can maybe offer her some advice on dealing with this stuff. I'll see what they say Monday.

Regards  James

James,

I had about 10x this area of JK, similar height ( thats its max height generally speaking ) when I moved to my cottage, one reason why it was cheap. Seriously entrenched. A corner of a whole field of it too just over from me, downstream thankfully. Ive spent 5 years treating it mine, but it still pops up, albeit a few sprigs only now @ 10" height max. But I have won on the whole, just.

 

Only one thing to consider treatmentwise, strong pink glyphosate. No roundup nonsense. Now this stuff is illegal though... so I will pm an idea. You must do asap ( now is almost too late this year ), your n'bor doing you a favour pointing it out if not a direct threat to their plot.
 

Still dry evening, strong gardening gloves taped wrists I do with wet weather gear on, wellies, glasses & a proper big rubber 2x filter mask job. As its so tall treating the leaves is n/a as its too established to feasably do this. I did this: very carefully cut each to 6"... place cuttings carefully into a strong black binliner. Incinerate later ie logburner, not a leaf or any bit of it forgotten. Bleach secateurs.
 

Then you have the hollow stems. Carefully spray into each stem, almost drip by drip ( it'll blitz immediate area even so ). Next year will be half height, do same. Year after will be 1/4 height: then don't cut to stems.. but now treat the leaves instead. 
 

This method simply what my builder showed me, the only way, they know out here... cos in areas its rampant in wales. Zoot.
 

 

 

 

[Adsibob]

9 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

 

Only one thing to consider treatmentwise, strong pink glyphosate. No roundup nonsense. Now this stuff is illegal though... so I will pm an idea. You must do asap ( now is almost too late this year ), your n'bor doing you a favour pointing it out if not a direct threat to their plot.

If it's illegal, it's for a good reason:

 

The clinical features range from skin and throat irritation to hypotension and death. Severe GlySH-surfactant poisoning is manifested by gastroenteritis, respiratory disturbances, altered mental status, hypotension refractory to the treatment, renal failure, and shock.[1] GlySH intoxication has a case fatality rate 3.2–29.3%.

[zoothorn]

1 minute ago, Adsibob said:

If it's illegal, it's for a good reason:

 

The clinical features range from skin and throat irritation to hypotension and death. Severe GlySH-surfactant poisoning is manifested by gastroenteritis, respiratory disturbances, altered mental status, hypotension refractory to the treatment, renal failure, and shock.[1] GlySH intoxication has a case fatality rate 3.2–29.3%.

Yup it's important info to be aware of.
 

So you basically use ppe, use with care, & by very localised use ( a few cm's worth drip fed into a hollow stem, even via a farmers syringe ).. never ever spraying it on. You are not exposing yourself to it at all like so. The roundup US scare was farmers exposed to it from vast machines, inhaling it over donkeys years.

 

For James it's either this way, or getting in experts ( who'll use the same pink glyphosate but legal weaker stuff now so less effective, in ppe with syringes possibly injecting into the low stem areas, without cutting as it saves them having the added hassle to dispose of the greenery ) who'll charge you hundreds for a less effective treatment. Or 3rd option is to use even weaker stuff ie roundup, in greater quantities, which likely will not be effective at all.

[James94]

@zoothorn,

Thanks for this valuable information and taking the time to PM me with details on how to kill this stuff. It’s looking like the jk is on the neighbours side of the hedge so I’m hoping I don’t have to do anything. Last Monday they had someone come from Manchester and we had a quick chat, he didn’t seem to be worried by the small amount that was there and it doesn’t seem to have spread elsewhere (yet) . The neighbours are now waiting for his report to come back and we can see what they are going to be doing about it, I’ll keep you informed of any progress.

Regards James

 

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, James94 said:

It’s looking like the jk is on the neighbours side of the hedge 

In case they revert to blaming you, or want to share an expensive proposal, make sure you have dated photographs that are clear to understand. This discussion is proof to some extent.

 

Meanwhile you don't want the stuff on your side to extend. Next growth season do one of the processes above, if the neighbour has not.

 

There are some really good official documents on this, free on the web.

[PeterW]

On 12/10/2021 at 11:50, zoothorn said:

 

Only one thing to consider treatmentwise, strong pink glyphosate. No roundup nonsense. Now this stuff is illegal though... so I will pm an idea.

Pink Glyphosate is the same as Roundup, it is just the agricultural version and comes in many colours depending on the manufacturer. It has a slightly higher strength but is not illegal to use at home and is marketed as Gallup XL, Roundup 360 etc which relates to the concentration per litre of active product. 
 

On 12/10/2021 at 12:00, Adsibob said:

If it's illegal, it's for a good reason:

 

The clinical features range from skin and throat irritation to hypotension and death. Severe GlySH-surfactant poisoning is manifested by gastroenteritis, respiratory disturbances, altered mental status, hypotension refractory to the treatment, renal failure, and shock.[1] GlySH intoxication has a case fatality rate 3.2–29.3%.

So this is down to long term extended contact at high concentration - used correctly it is safe for occasional use however the issue is usually people don’t read the instructions. Lots of things are dangerous in high concentration levels - even post mix syrups for soft drinks are marked hazardous when transported in bulk..!

The legalities are around the use of these products relates to professional use and the correct handling under the MAFF guidance, usually referred to as the Safe Handling Regulations. They do not refer to home usage of products that are purchased at slightly lower active percentages. 
 

If you want to make any plant pesticide or herbicide more efficient, add 1% by volume of cheap washing up liquid to the mix ..! 

 

[Roundtuit]

4 hours ago, PeterW said:

Pink Glyphosate is the same as Roundup, it is just the agricultural version and comes in many colours depending on the manufacturer. It has a slightly higher strength but is not illegal to use at home and is marketed as Gallup XL, Roundup 360 etc which relates to the concentration per litre of active product.

 

 

It's not legal to use products that are only approved for professional use (even if the active ingredient is the same) unless you're qualified to do so.  If you're not qualified, best to stick to products approved for amateur use if you want to stay on the right side of the law.

[Triassic]

A lot of things aren’t legal, best use common sense! DIY products won’t be effective on Knotweed.

[PeterW]

1 hour ago, Roundtuit said:

 

It's not legal to use products that are only approved for professional use (even if the active ingredient is the same) unless you're qualified to do so.  If you're not qualified, best to stick to products approved for amateur use if you want to stay on the right side of the law.

under which law…? Perfectly legal to purchase something like Rootblast which is Glyp680 and then dilute in water as an amateur, but not as a professional.
 

Onus is on the supplier to not sell you the product in the first place, and it does clearly state on most / all versions of liquid Glyp360 upward that it’s for professional use only and must be used in accordance with the MAFF guidance. 
 

It doesn’t state it is illegal to use it for domestic use.