PLEASE READ - A warning Japanese knot weed

[Andy Hamilton]

This plant was an unwelcome visitor to the UK if is a very invasive plant and takes over gardens, here is a comment I found about it.

"Does anyone have any up to date information as to how we can rid ourselves of this weed before it uproots our community centre. also any ideas or advice on how we can get its removal funded in any way?"

The reason I mentioned Japanese knotweed is that I was thinking about the interntional nature of the internet. So be careful when excepting or swapping seed, make sure you are not introducing a plant to a country that will end up being overrun with it. Another example if the goldfish story, a bloke flusjed his goldfish down the toilet. A bit of pond weed was stuck to it and this weed thrived in a reservoir and clogged it up, costing thousands to remove.

So check before you send.
Cheers 8)

[Emma]

I heard have to dig out 6 meters below the roots and burn all the soil to get rip of knotweed.

[sunpuppy]

I used to have Japanese Knotweed in my last garden, and it is the biggest pain in the world to get rid of!

I tried every organic method I could think of, from pouring highly salted boiling water and vinegar down the stems, to patiently digging up every last piece I could find. It even came up under weed control fabric, with paving slabs laid over the top - it just pushed the slabs up! Gave up in the end, cos' I didn't want to use chemicals. Just tried to control it, rather than totally eradicate it.

The local council were having big problems getting rid of it on nearby common land, where it had taken hold, and had to follow a three year extermination programme with industrial strength weed-killer, to get rid of it, and it's such a menace that you can get fined for putting it in the rubbish that the bin men take away.

[Andy Hamilton]

Apparently if you dig three meters below the end of the root and incinerate all the plant and the soil it will go! I guess that would get rid of most things though.

I heard someone on Gardeners world a while back who was given Japanese knotweed as a present! With friends like that......

[Goodlife1970]

Here in the Valleys we have an abundance of this awful weed,it was used,because of its deep root structure,to hold back the embankments of the railways used to carry coal and also to stop soil erosion on the spoil heaps.Its a real menace in the garden,but isnt poisonous and because of its hardiness is actually being planted in drought ridden places such as Africa,to graze livestock on! I saw a programme on television last year about this and was amazed! What we do here is keep mowing it as soon as it pokes its head up and this really does weaken the plant,we had a huge patch originally and its just a tiny persistant little plant now,a bit tedious but we are winning,at last!

[Wormella]

It's actually illegal to spread Japanese Knotweed, (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981)

[Chickpea]

Take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

[dibnah]

did I read somewhere that it's eddible?

[Hedgehogpie]

Yep, it's edible and apparently the young shoots taste like rhubarb. The only thing that keeps me from trying it is the fact that it can actually clone itself from the merest scrap, and not from seed (the seeds are sterile, thank goodness ). I certainly wouldn't want to be responsible for accidentally encouraging its spread so I leave well alone.

http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/processes/367836/

Horrid stuff.

[Ireland-or-bust]

Hi,

I saw somewhere on TV that you can cut the tops off and inject them
with weed killer. Monsanto's fine Glyphosate should do.

They may ra pe the earth but they make a fine weed killer....

Mark.

[Thomzo]

I had it in one garden and it cracked its way through a 6inch thick concrete path. I moved in the end.

Q. What is the only reliable way to get rid of Japanese Knot Weed and Ground Elder?

A. Move house.

Zoe

[Karen_D]

Take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

When Wolverhampton Council (bless 'em) came and chopped down a small patch at one of the schools they decided to shred it and use it as mulch...

[Andy Hamilton]

I heard the other day that it grows from any part of the plant that touches the earth.

[thecornflake]

I had this at my last place. It's till there, but I've moved now.

6 years of digging it up, burning it and neat undiluted roundup (my neighbour was battling it before we moved in) and it still came back every year, although a little less each year. If you get it when it first starts with loads of roundup it can be controlled through the summer. I've never heard of anyone getting rid of it completely.

[Silver Ether]

We have it growing in a field behind our home ... the council have flamed it a couple of times but as they only do the top not the roots not much joy ...

we have been lucky its not actually come into our property and we been here a looooong time .. but still keep on at the council about it.. it is their resposability ... they should have let us have the field when we asked it no use to any one but now they are lumbered ... It has it good points it protects us from the scum that try to climb our fences ...