Japanese Knotweed: The Facts Not Scaremongering.

Recently Britain has been experiencing a truly welcomed burst of glorious summer weather. The sun has been beating down over our small island topping us all up with a well needed dose of vitamin D. Britain really thrives in the warm weather and what with the bombardment of failures and bad press constantly in our midst – the sun has certainly come at the perfect time. If I have learned anything throughout my many years on this planet it’s that with all things good comes the occasional knock back.  That is life, once you finally come to terms with this notion you will learn to accept the good with the bad and adjust accordingly.



So what could I possibly be referring to? Is it the British tendency to soak up copious amounts of sun accompanied by Stella Artois, beach BBQs and aggressive behaviour after one too many? In actual fact, although all of the above do grate on me, the issue I want address can be found in our gardens.

Whilst many Brits are out sunning and enjoying the short burst of summer we are experiencing through passive aggressive behaviour, others will be found tending to their gardens, my wife and myself included.  Weeds of many varieties thrive in this continuous heat as you may well have noticed. Just like us, they adore the summer and are made for the boiling conditions. To ensure you have a control of the situation, it’s important you remove all weeds when they first come to your attention.  By removing them immediately you will be helping to control the situation. Why? weeds will steal moisture and nutrients from the other plants in your garden, naturally they are easiest to remove when they are young and the ground is still moist so I advise you to waste no time in doing so.

Invasive plant species are increasingly recognised as a huge issue and threat to our natural ecosystem. You may struggle to see how a few garden weeds relate to that sentiment. However, if you have ever been faced with the devastation that is Japanese Knotweed you will certainly relate to the above.  If not controlled and managed effectively, havoc can be caused and devastation left in its trail as the weed can grow an impressive 10cm a day during the summer months.  I’d like to give an educated and formal response to this growing issue. There is huge amount of scaremongering surrounding this subject and although the results can be devastating, there is help available as well as cures.



As a consequence of this destructive weed Japanese knotweed removal contractors are no longer short to come by, so if you suspect that the towering green weed taking control of your outdoor space may well be Japanese Knotweed, before taking to gardening forums in pure panic you should know the following.  It is at its most destructive on structures that happen to already be weakened, it is true that it can damage foundations and brickwork but in truth – this is rare and in most cases only happens when the building is already in a fragile state.

If you imagine the roots to be similar to water, they run through cracks that are already apparent, meaning existing cracks are the biggest worry. The first step if you suspect you may have the weed growing on your land is to take a picture.  Many of the contractors available will allow you to email this image free of charge and they will inform you whether it is in fact Japanese Knotweed.

Following this, it really is as simple as deciding on a contractor and arranging an inspection. Note that it is incredible important you know your contractor has a valid license to use pesticides, it may well be that the best way to treat the outbreak is through chemical control, this is general a spray or an injection to the root) or physical control, which involves cutting, burning an excavation of the roots.  In summary, do not panic. Follow the steps provided and soon all will be in control, you will be back to enjoying the very limited British summer time in no time at all. Here’s to hoping it hangs around a little while longer.

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