Japanese Knotweed

[EPB]

Has anybody had this pernicious weed dealt with successfully?

Any advice would be most welcome !!!!!

[fishbiscuits]

A bit late in the year now, but if you pick it when it's young, you can cook with it, using it as a rhubarb substitute.

Or make knotweed vodka:

http://www.theotherandyhamilton.com/2012/04/01/andy-hamiltons-delicous-knotweed-vodka/

[KidKruger]

same here, it's back and with a vengeance. any actual experience appreciated.

[Jules-and-Boo]

I cut the tops off - ideally when the shoots are young and spray the chemicals inside - it is effective but you have to be on it. It does work but if it's not isolated (ie in your neighbours gardens too) and the rest is not treated then it will just keep growing as the roots will keep spreading.

you have to be really careful as a tiny bit of it can root if it's dropped on the ground and you can't put it in the garden waste bags.

[EPB]

If it were confined to my garden I?d be out there anointing it with poison every day!

Unfortunately, 99 percent of it is next door.

Apparently the council will deal with it (for ?99+), so I?ve emailed the environmental department. The automated acknowledgement promises to get back in touch with me in due course .......

[Penguin68]

I cut the tops off - ideally when the shoots are young and spray the chemicals inside - it is effective but you have to be on it.

Actually, the stems are rather like bamboo - they are jointed so that the poison won't trickle through easily to the root system. I would spray the leaves, when they are young, wait for them and the top of the stem to die back (you may have to spray two or 3 times over a coupe of weeks, but that means the weedkiller has been taken down into the system) and then pour poison down the stem, using a thin metal rod to break through the joints so the poison goes well down the stem. The problem is that until the stems are reasonably wide that's quite difficult.

It can take 2-4 seasons of hitting the growth whenever it appears to get rid of it. Commercially they will dig down to the roots, remove as much as possible and poison the rest. Hence the cost of removal. If you do cut growth down it MUST be burned - don't add it to compost or put it in the brown-bin recycling (for Southwark readers). The sad thing is that if only it wasn't so invasive it would be a quite interesting plant for the back of a border. It's quick growing and decorative.

[Sue]

Penguin68 Wrote:

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The

> sad thing is that if only it wasn't so invasive it

> would be a quite interesting plant for the back of

> a border. It's quick growing and decorative.

Yep. I think that was why it was imported by the Victorians in the first place.

[EPB]

As was Himalayan Balsam.

[Sue]

EPB Wrote:

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> As was Himalayan Balsam.

Also very pretty!

Just lethal to waterways :(

[JohnL]

There's a louse that eats it apparently. Released in some test areas.

You do wonder if that's the way to go though - the insect might be worse.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4546960/Plant-eating-insect-finally-kill-Japanese-knotweed.html

[EPB]

Tuesday?s email to Southwark Council has already born fruit!

The Grounds Supervisor, Michael Ross, has just left after a site visit to assess the problem and to explain it to our nice neighbour (who had absolutely no idea that the attractive plant in his garden was a pernicious weed) and work will begin some time next week.

Apparently it will need at least three applications, and there?s no guarantee that it won?t try to return, but we should be able to deal with it ourselves following instructions they will leave with us.

So HURRAH for the council !!!

[Angelina]

that is BRILLIANT !!!

[Sue]

Excellent news!

[Sue]

Or you could try this:

Is Japanese knotweed driving you wild? Don't curse it ? cook it

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2018/may/30/is-japanese-knotweed-driving-you-wild-dont-curse-it-cook-it