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What is Japanese Knotweed.

• Japanese Knotweed is a very invasive weed, originally brought in from Japan in the nineteenth century as an ornamental plant. It has spread into our countryside and gardens causing a costly problem. Not just for gardeners, left unchecked, it will invade large areas of land, takeout native plants, break up concrete, block paving ruin clay ponds and canals, damage buildings. And force the price of your house down. Spreads easily and can regrow rapidly from less than one inch of root.

  Out competes our native wild and garden plants.

  Very difficult and expensive to control or eradicate. 

  Can grow through and break-up tarmac and concrete and cause structural damage to properties. 

  You can be fined up to £2,500 for failing to control Japanese Knotweed.

How to recognise Japanese Knotweed

• It is a non woody stemmed plant that grows up to seven feet high and can grow three feet in a month.
• The stems look like bamboo canes. They can be up to two inches thick and can grow as much as an inch per day.
• The leaves, grow to about to six inches long. They are an ovate shape, pointed at the tip with flattened bases and hairless on underside. See the Japanese Knotweed picture.
• The cream-white flowers grow in panicles from July through to the autumn.
• The root system often extend several yards around and under the base of the plant.
• Roots are quite soft, white maturing to dark brown and knotty. The inside is pale yellow to bright orange with a darker core.

How does Japanese Knotweed spread?

• It spreads mainly through the root system (rhizome) and stem segments. However, can occasionally be spread by seed. Once it has spread under concrete, tarmac or block driveways, Japanese Knotweed causes heave below the surface (pushes surface up) and grows up through the cracks, damaging buildings and roads. Root segments can remain dormant for up to twenty years in soil, before producing new plants, a tiny section can produce a new plant in ten days.

Spreads easily and can regrow rapidly from less than one inch of root.

Out competes our native wild and garden plants.

Very difficult and expensive to control or eradicate. 

Can grow through and break-up tarmac and concrete and cause structural damage to properties. 

You can be fined up to £2,500 for failing to control Japanese Knotweed.

Japanese Knotweed growing in your garden, can cause major problems, not only to your own garden and property, but to neighbours gardens and properties. In this article, I will explain;

• What Japanese Knotweed is and how to recognise it. 
• Actions you can take to kill Japanese knotweed and control the spread.  

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 says,  it is an offence to plant or grow Japanese knotweed  where there is any risk of causing the plant to spread into the wild or neighbouring properties.  

It also states that it is up to you the householder to control the plants from spreading. It is also illegal  to dispose of Japanese Knotweed incorrectly, causing further spreading. I have included safe and legal ways of disposal on this page.

If  you see Japanese knotweed growing in neighbouring gardens or on council property, try explaining to your neighbour, the potential damage to the countryside and property this will cause if left untreated.  If reason fails or you spot Japanese Knotweed growing wild, the police have a wildlife liaison officer who can be contacted.

• Contact your local council they may offer a collection service or have a list of sites that accept Japanese knotweed waste. If you are going to dispose of the Knotweed yourself, It is irresponsible to dump it anywhere it could regrow, it is also illegal!!  
• Bag it. Any plant or soil material to be disposed of off site should be securely bagged to prevent spillage. 
• check clothes and shoes  making sure no plant or soil material is present. It is easily spread to other parts of yours and neighbours gardens.
• Do not put it on your compost heap or anyone elses for that matter.
• Do not leave it out for the council to collect as recyclable waste.
• Controlled burning is the best and safest way to get rid of Japanese Knotweed. 
• Store the green stems and leaves on a ground sheet until they dry out and then burn every bit.