What is Japanese Knotweed?
Japanese Knotweed is a large, herbaceous perennial, introduced as a garden plant by the Victorians. It is undisputedly the most troublesome weed on the planet, causing more damage to the environment, biodiversity and property than any other.
Aggressive and damaging
It is singularly aggressive and fast growing (up to 10cm a day), crowding out all other flora and breaking through seemingly impenetrable barriers such as tarmac, concrete and brickwork.
Like an iceberg, there is more happening out of sight, where the plant’s underground rhizome (root) system will penetrate up to 3 metres downwards and fan out up to 7 metres in any direction from each and every stem. This is why digging it out is usually not an option. The consequences are severe. Apart from the damage it will cause, it devalues land and property.
Mortgage issues
All mortgage providers now refuse to lend on property that has knotweed present. Some of the biggest even refuse to loan if it is spotted on neighbouring land. This effectively makes a non-cash sale impossible until the knotweed is eradicated.
Careful treatment
Japanese knotweed needs careful, expert treatment. One treatment is not usually enough – we recommend multiple treatments with different herbicides over many months to ensure complete eradication.
Do not believe in claims of “miracle cures”; you will find the knotweed re-growing within no time and will be back to square one if you opt for one of these.
If you have a very large budget the knotweed can be dug out completely and sent to special landfill or be buried onsite.
