Japanese Knotweed

[El Cid]

1 minute ago, mafya said:

Japanese knotweed even if in a neighbours property could effect you from getting a mortgage or be a sticking point when trying to sell. If it is knotweed then make the landowner aware..

 

Himalayan balsam is a schedule 9 plant, I think the landowner will be told to cut it down before it flowers, tho that may be too late this year.

 

24. We would expect that where plants listed in Schedule 9 are grown in private gardens, larger scale gardens, estates and amenity areas, reasonable measures will be taken to confine them to the cultivated area so as to prevent their spreading to the wider environment and beyond the landowner’s control. It is our view that any failure to do so, which in turn results in the plant spreading to the wild, could be considered as ‘causing to grow in the wild’ and as such would constitute an offence. If the person responsible for the presence of a species in this way does not have sufficient ability or the resources to manage it so as to prevent its spreading to the wild, thereby exposing him or herself to the risk of committing an offence, he/she should seriously consider whether planting a Schedule 9 species is appropriate.

25. Negligent or reckless behaviour, such as inappropriate disposal of garden waste, where this results in a Schedule 9 species becoming established in the wild would constitute an offence.

[Prettytom]

12 minutes ago, mafya said:

Japanese knotweed even if in a neighbours property could effect you from getting a mortgage or be a sticking point when trying to sell. If it is knotweed then make the landowner aware..

Alternatively, tell nobody, or they’ll make an almighty fuss.

 

If you want rid of it, let it grow to about three feet. Then cut the stem and pour concentrated weed killer into the hollow bit of the stem.
 

It will be gone in no time.

[Prettytom]

12 minutes ago, mafya said:

Japanese knotweed even if in a neighbours property could effect you from getting a mortgage or be a sticking point when trying to sell. If it is knotweed then make the landowner aware..

Alternatively, tell nobody, or they’ll make an almighty fuss.

 

If you want rid of it, let it grow to about three feet. Then cut the stem and pour concentrated weed killer into the hollow bit of the stem.
 

It will be gone in no time.

[Prettytom]

You don’t have to do it twice though😁

[mafya]

7 minutes ago, Prettytom said:

You don’t have to do it twice though😁

I’ve successfully done this a few times using Glyphosate 360 weed killer.

One job was for a mate who had council planning coming to veiw a building plot and he had knotweed so I sorted it for him.

 

[Bellatrix]

7 hours ago, El Cid said:

The flowers are pink/white and they go pop when ripe. Not sure now.

That does sound like Himalayan Balsam.  The flowers are lovely, but once it gets a grip in a suitable place it's everywhere.  Insects apparently love it to such an extent that they'll neglect their pollination duties for any native plants in the vicinity.  It's bad for river banks too, where it tends to thrive, as it's an annual with shallow roots and once it's finished overpowering everything else and disappeared for the season, it leaves the soil exposed and prone to erosion.

 

The only reason I know this is that I saw it at the Crook O' Lune in Lancashire a few weeks back and wondered what it was:

 

 

As for Japanese Knotweed, a neighbour had it in their garden.  It had spread into massive clumps, as it tends to do, and they had to get people in to start the process of removing it before they could sell their house.  Not an easy task, apparently, as the company comes back twice a year to damp down any potential new shoots.  They managed to kill off a hawthorn tree in the process, so that went well.

[Prettytom]

3 hours ago, Bellatrix said:

That does sound like Himalayan Balsam.  The flowers are lovely, but once it gets a grip in a suitable place it's everywhere.  Insects apparently love it to such an extent that they'll neglect their pollination duties for any native plants in the vicinity.  It's bad for river banks too, where it tends to thrive, as it's an annual with shallow roots and once it's finished overpowering everything else and disappeared for the season, it leaves the soil exposed and prone to erosion.

 

The only reason I know this is that I saw it at the Crook O' Lune in Lancashire a few weeks back and wondered what it was:

 

 

As for Japanese Knotweed, a neighbour had it in their garden.  It had spread into massive clumps, as it tends to do, and they had to get people in to start the process of removing it before they could sell their house.  Not an easy task, apparently, as the company comes back twice a year to damp down any potential new shoots.  They managed to kill off a hawthorn tree in the process, so that went well.

It was introduced as a decorative plant by the Victorians. It is a truly beautiful thing with lovely leaves and pretty flowers, but it is also problematic. It spreads really quickly and persistently through underground rhizomes.

 

I think the professional treatment involves injecting weedkillers into the roots to kill them. They are pretty resilient though and get quite deep, so repeat treatments are needed. 
 

I do think that people overreact to it somewhat. It is a menace if left unchecked, but if you are vigilant, it isn’t really a problem.

[horribleblob]

2 hours ago, Prettytom said:

It was introduced as a decorative plant by the Victorians. It is a truly beautiful thing with lovely leaves and pretty flowers, but it is also problematic. It spreads really quickly and persistently through underground rhizomes.

 

I think the professional treatment involves injecting weedkillers into the roots to kill them. They are pretty resilient though and get quite deep, so repeat treatments are needed. 
 

I do think that people overreact to it somewhat. It is a menace if left unchecked, but if you are vigilant, it isn’t really a problem.

I had some Himalayan Balsam growing in the wild bit of my garden but didn't notice it until it was fairly tall. I just dug out the roots (which didn't go down very deep in this instance), and ten years later it has not reappeared. I think birds sometimes distribute the seeds.

[Bellatrix]

22 minutes ago, horribleblob said:

I had some Himalayan Balsam growing in the wild bit of my garden but didn't notice it until it was fairly tall. I just dug out the roots (which didn't go down very deep in this instance), and ten years later it has not reappeared. I think birds sometimes distribute the seeds.

Yes, it's the Japanese Knotweed with the deep roots.  The balsam roots are shallow so it's relatively easy to pull up, and that and mowing before it sets seed are how they deal with masses of it.  This is where I read about it.

Edited August 14 by Bellatrix

[Prettytom]

Just found some in a front garden in Peckham. See how pretty the leaves are