How can you kill Japanese Knot Weed

[Peter]

Japanese Knot Weed has appeared in a garden next to us and they don't seem
to understand to problem they might have. Any advice on getting rid of it
please

--
Regards
Peter
pe...@august1946.fsnet.co.uk

[Martin Brown]

Peter wrote:

> Japanese Knot Weed has appeared in a garden next to us and they don't seem
> to understand to problem they might have. Any advice on getting rid of it

Glyphosate quickly and regularly before it really starts growing in the summer
heat.

Failing that do you own any low yield nuclear devices ?

Regards,
Martin Brown

[Peter Crosland]

The following copied from the Envireonment Agency Website

Japanese Knotweed

How to control it and prevent it's spread

INTRODUCTION
Japanese Knotweed (scientific name Fallopia Japonica) was introduced to the
UK in the mid nineteenth century as an ornamental plant. Since then it has
become a serious problem in a range of habitats, particularly roadsides,
riverbanks and derelict land by displacing native flora and causing
structural damage.

In the UK, although seeds are produced by Japanese Knotweed plants, these
are rarely viable. Therefore spread is by vegetative means, either by
rhizome (root) fragments, or by crown (base of the stem) and stem segments.

The majority of Japanese Knotweed has been spread by riverbank erosion, and
by mans' activities, such as flytipping garden waste and moving contaminated
soil. Mechanical flails and mowers will also spread the plant

Legal Status
In 1981, The Wildlife and Countryside Act made it illegal to spread Japanese
Knotweed. Any excavated soil from areas were Japanese Knotweed has
established must be disposed of at a licensed landfill site and not reused
in further construction or landscaping. When disposing of contaminated soil
it is essential that the landfill operator is made aware of the presence of
Japanese Knotweed and that the soil is not used for landscaping or
restoration works at the tip site. To ensure safe disposal contaminated
soils must be buried to a depth of at least 5 meters. Section 34 of the
Environmental Protection Act 1990 places a duty of care on all waste
producers to ensure that any wastes are disposed of safely and that a
written description of the wastes, and any specific harmful properties, is
provided to the site operator.

HOW TO MANAGE JAPANESE KNOTWEED

Control of Japanese Knotweed relies on the death of the extensive rhizome
system, which usually takes a number of years.

Cutting or Pulling
Regular cutting or pulling will, after a number of years, eventually exhaust
the rhizome and kill the plant. It is important that all cut or pulled stems
of Japanese Knotweed are kept on site, or disposed of as described above. As
stems, crowns and rhizomes readily regenerate, they must be allowed to dry
out thoroughly after they have been pulled or cut. Regular checks should be
made to ensure that this material in not contaminating watercourses or other
sites, or developing roots. Thoroughly burning plant material where current
bylaws allow can be an effective means of disposal provided that the waste
is burnt on site and not removed to other land (this would be an offence
under the Environmental Protection Act, 1990).

Herbicide Control
Dense stands of Japanese Knotweed can be treated with a glyphosate based
herbicide, such as 'Roundup'. If the Knotweed is sparsely distributed, use
2,4D amine, which is specific to broadleaved plants and will not harm the
grasses. It may take two or three years to completely kill the entire plant.
More effective control can be achieved if Japanese Knotweed is cut or
sprayed in early summer, then sprayed again in late summer, just before the
winter dieback. More targeted methods of applying herbicides are being
developed for sites where it is important to protect the native flora.

Development Sites
Early identification of contaminated areas is essential. Plans must be
prepared to contain, control and remove Japanese Knotweed with clear methods
of working to prevent its spread.

Knotweed 'Not's'
a.. Do not flail or mow Japanese Knotweed as this will cause it to spread.
Cutting with sharp hooks, slashers etc is recommended.
b.. Do not spread Japanese Knotweed stem and crowns. If you cut down
Japanese Knotweed, it is best disposed of on site. Material taken off site
must be safely contained and disposed of at a licensed disposal site.
c.. Do not spread soil contaminated with Japanese Knotweed rhizome. Any
soil that is obtained from ground within 7m of a Japanese Knotweed plant
could contain rhizome. The rhizome is highly regenerative and will readily
grow into new plants.
d.. Do not chip Japanese Knotweed material. Mechanical chippers do not
kill Japanese Knotweed. If you spread the chipped material on soil, Japanese
Knotweed could regrow.
e.. Do not add Japanese Knotweed to compost. Compost Japanese Knotweed
separately, so that you can be sure it is dead before you apply it to land.
f.. Do not waste time. If Japanese Knotweed appears in your area, treat it
immediately. Do not allow it to become established.
g.. Do not break the law. Remember, if you cause Japanese Knotweed to
spread you are guilty of an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act,
1981.

Knotweed 'Do's'

Knotweed is unsightly and it is displacing our native plants, reducing
biodiversity. Please help to prevent the spread of Knotweed by following
these guidelines.

a.. If you intend to use a herbicide in or near water, you need to obtain
the approval of the Environment Agency prior to treatment.
b.. Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding protective clothing
and the safe and effective use of herbicides.
c.. When applying herbicides, take care to avoid drift, and any damage to
non-target plants. Spraying should be performed during still dry conditions,
without rain for 6 hours.
d.. Spraying on land which is not your own should be carried out by an
approved contractor with a National Proficiency Tests Council Certificate of
Competence.

[Peter Crosland]

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/wasteman/136954/?lang=_e&regio
n=&projectstatus=&theme=&subject=&searchfor=knotweed&topic=&area=&month=

[Nigel Hurneyman]

Peter Crosland wrote:
>
> http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/wasteman/136954/?lang=_e&regio
> n=&projectstatus=&theme=&subject=&searchfor=knotweed&topic=&area=&month=

Thanks for posting this link. The Environment Agency has made a
few factual errors on its site. True Japanese Knotweed is actually
a relatively innocuous plant of which there are only a handful of
specimens in the country. The plant which is wreaking havoc on our
countyside is some sort of sterile hybrid, the other parent of which
has not yet (AFAIK) been identified. There are NO known instances of
it propagating by seed, which just illustrates how careful you must be
when disposing of any roots you dig up - incinerate them if you can!
If anyone finds any plants bearing seeds, I'd be grateful if you
could post a few to me for research purposes.

Nigel Hurneyman

[Peter Crosland]

Thanks for the info Nigel. The fact the the problem is with a sterile hybrid
suggests to me that the original plant is just as dangerous because it may
produce more with whatever plant cross pollinates it. It is certainly a
nasty thing to have infest your land.

Regards from Peter Crosland g6...@yahoo.com

[Nigel Hurneyman]

Thanks Peter. It's a very intriguing mystery - the hybrid almost
certainly didn't originate in the UK, yet it's never been found in
Japan. It's possible the entire UK contamination was caused by just
a single introduced plant.

Regards, Nigel Hurneyman

[Nigel Hurneyman]

Thanks Peter. It's a very intriguing mystery - the hybrid almost