A worrying plant?
- Thread starter tommy the cat
- Start date
That looks like Japanese knotweed to me. You better start eradicating it pdq.
Start treating it with glyphosate on any new shoots and pulling up every other bit you see.
What you don't want to do is to try digging it out as it can shoot from the tiniest bit of root.
Start treating it with glyphosate on any new shoots and pulling up every other bit you see.
What you don't want to do is to try digging it out as it can shoot from the tiniest bit of root.
I'm hoping this ain't what I've been told it is???
D
Oh dear...it certainly looks like it:
I believe you need to alert the local environmental team.
Compare with this set of images.
If it is JK, then Steve's advice is sound.
It tastes (and cooks) a bit like rhubarb, but it's a right royal pain to find it in your garden
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Le...uk%2Ffiles%2Fgarden%2Fj_knotweed.html;295;400
atb,
M
If it is JK, then Steve's advice is sound.
It tastes (and cooks) a bit like rhubarb, but it's a right royal pain to find it in your garden
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Le...uk%2Ffiles%2Fgarden%2Fj_knotweed.html;295;400
atb,
M
Yes, that is trouble, a.k.a. Japanese knotweed. The young shoots are edible but it is not a viable way of controlling it. Get at it now before it spreads any further, but be prepared for a prolonged battle. The stuff can come up through concrete.
Taffinch is correct, let your local authority know about it too, as it should be notified to the authorities as a significant pest.
Pull it up, and be extra careful that you remove every last fragment.
Taffinch is correct, let your local authority know about it too, as it should be notified to the authorities as a significant pest.
Pull it up, and be extra careful that you remove every last fragment.
It's not a notifiable weed. This is from a Guardian article in 2012 where a house sale fell through because of the presence of Knotweed near the property. So unless anything's changed since then:
"It is not an offence to have Japanese knotweed on your land and it is not a notifiable weed. However, under Section 14(1) and (2), of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is a criminal offence to plant Japanese knotweed or otherwise cause it to grow in the wild."
"It is not an offence to have Japanese knotweed on your land and it is not a notifiable weed. However, under Section 14(1) and (2), of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is a criminal offence to plant Japanese knotweed or otherwise cause it to grow in the wild."
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The other thing to bear in mind is it needs a special waste licence for disposal of the roots.
If I remember rightly any soil suspected of containing it has to be buried at least 30ft underground with a capping layer of heavy clay.
Luckily you can pull the stems up and leave it on your own land to rot down without any trouble, but as I said don't dig it at all if you can help it.
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
It doesnt survive cooking. A small patch I would consider having a bonfire with coal on the bottom. There needs to be enough heat to penetrate to atleast a foot.
You could salt glaze some home done pottery or smelt some stuff while at it.
Ok thanks (I think) it's not on my land but the scout camp that I work at.
I will take everything on board what has been said.
We have informed the estate who own the land and they do have it in other places on the site. They are meant to be sending someone to have a look but I will start dealing with it myself as they are dragging their feet.
I will take everything on board what has been said.
We have informed the estate who own the land and they do have it in other places on the site. They are meant to be sending someone to have a look but I will start dealing with it myself as they are dragging their feet.
The leaf shape is right for JKW. Other indicators are alternative leaves up the stem, and purple blotches on the stem.
Called Japanese Bindweed here. That stuff has to have every root eradicated or it'll keep coming back.
well if its on a camp site you will want to make sure no one is taking it home by accident I would get the council involved they might even offer some help to remove it with chemicals, I have sprayed this stuff for the local council took about three years to get it under control, I dont mean gone I mean under control and the infestation getting smaller each year.
Around the Gower it is pretty much everywhere, every garden, hedgerow, churchyard and verge, it's got to the point where they are conducting trials with non-native pest insects (like that always goes without a hitch).
A typical Swansea street view
I have some waste ground behind my garden which has a very fine stand of Knotweed, so I have no chance of ever being rid of it, I just keep it in check and rip it up and burn it whenever it crosses the line. I am pretty sure if you only have a small patch that some chemical and conventional warfare should be enough to eradicate it or at least keep it from taking over.
A typical Swansea street view
I have some waste ground behind my garden which has a very fine stand of Knotweed, so I have no chance of ever being rid of it, I just keep it in check and rip it up and burn it whenever it crosses the line. I am pretty sure if you only have a small patch that some chemical and conventional warfare should be enough to eradicate it or at least keep it from taking over.
Hold on, hold on. It's not a deadly virus
I appreciate there is a small chance of a human carrying a seed(s) home in their clothing or wherever, but I don't think propagation by human means is anything to worry about in the case of a Scout camp. I think you should have a big scout bonfire on top of it Tommy, get the lads stoking up all night. That's the sort of thing the Scouts is for, good deeds etc. they'll have a great time if they know they're killing a nasty invader of our countryside.
Your local council aren't going to sweat about it IMO. They know it's a bugger to keep under control, labour intensive and therefore costly. I've done the same with Giant Hogweed a few years ago. Had to make sure it didn't seed, cut the plants at the base, apply topical herbicide to each and every stem, wear rubber chem suits etc, the cost mounts. It wasn't too long before we were moved back on to hedge cutting and tree surgery and the Hogweed 'forgotten'.
Hold on, hold on. It's not a deadly virus
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=K...1067&bih=561#q=KNOT+WEED+INFESTATION&tbm=isch
you sure
I would never buy a house with it in the garden. Well never is a strong word I would only pay 50% of market value
http://japaneseknotweed.com/category/invasive-weeds/
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There's no chance at all of anyone or anything carrying as it doesn't produce seeds in this country because if I remember rightly when it was brought to this country as an ornamental plant
all the plants were female.More info here
