Japanese Knotweed Cheddar Treatment, Control & Removal

Green Leaf Remediation & Removal Services is a family run business that provides a professional and qualified service to every customer for the removal and treatment of Japanese Knotweed in Cheddar and the surrounding areas.

• • Do you think you might have Japanese Knotweed at your property in Cheddar?
  • Have you read or been told how this will set you back £1,000’s?
  • Have you read it could impact your mortgage or ability to sell your home or business?

Don’t worry! Green Leaf Remediation & Removal Specialists provide expert services for the treatment and management of Japanese Knotweed Cheddar and be reassured it won’t cost you as much as you might think.

What you need to know about Japanese Knotweed in WSM

1. 1. Japanese Knotweed is a perennial weed that will grow and spread quickly if not controlled
   2. It can sometimes be referred to as Bamboo or Peashooters
   3. The weed suppresses all the other plants and flowers growing around it from the crown and rhizomes (root system) that spread extensively underground
   4. The shoots die off above ground in winter and re-emerge above ground again at the end of springtime, early summer
   5. Any effectively established shoots can grow more than 9ft high and can colonize the soil within a few years
   6. There are several articles that say you are able to kill the roots with chemical substances, however, you will need an NPTC qualified person to make use of any chemical substances as a result of new legislation which covers the management, and removal of Knotweed
   7. In the height of the growing season, 60% of the Knotweed plant is its roots below ground so removal is quite challenging and it spreads wildly from one tiny fragment of crown or rhizome
   8. There are plenty of misconceptions that say you can remove Knotweed by hand yourself, however, it is an extremely hard and complicated process and frequently, not successful unless you use a knotweed expert
   9. Removing Knotweed material without considerable knowledge carries a high chance of spreading the plant to other regions of the soil which were previously unaffected
   10. Japanese Knotweed isn’t toxic and harmful to dogs, cats, people or any other animals like some other highly invasive plants. It’s not harmful to touch, nevertheless, you should use extreme caution when in close proximity to it to avoid unintentionally allowing it to spread
   11. Japanese Knotweed can be referred to as ‘poisonous’ by developers and homeowners due to its very invasive growth, its capability to spread from a tiny particle left and how difficult it is to remove fully

The Myths of Japanese Knotweed

• • It will grow through solid concrete
  • It will destabilise foundations
  • It will cause structural damage
  • Property affected by Japanese Knotweed is not mortgageable

The Facts of Japanese Knotweed

• • If the previous groundwork or construction of a property has been performed to a sufficient standard then Knotweed will not be able to grow through solid concrete
  • It will not destabilise solid foundations and it is highly unlikely to ‘cause’ architectural damage unless there are pre-existing cracks
  • If your foundations or concrete are old, inadequately built and have pre-existing cracks or fractures within, then Knotweed will make use of any weak point in its quest for light and water and will rapidly establish itself, potentially causing more damage to the foundations and or structure
  • If you use a Japanese Knotweed Specialist like Green Leaf Remediation & Removal you will be able to control and remove the Knotweed as well as potentially buy or sell a property with Knotweed if we have treated it

How is Japanese Knotweed Removed and Controlled?

There are different methods of controlling and removing Japanese Knotweed. As Knotweed experts, we will come out to your property and establish if it is Japanese Knotweed. If it is we will advise you of the best treatment method options and these will depend on the size of the Knotweed, your property and circumstances, whether it is a home, business or development site.

Knotweed Removal & Control Methods Available in Cheddar

Stem-Injection is a low impact method of removal which is suitable for smaller areas of Knotweed, as well as if the infestation is established and the stems are thick enough for the herbicide to be injected into them, and if you want to keep the flowers and vegetation growing around it. It is also a suitable method to use when Knotweed is in close proximity to a watercourse as the herbicide will not run into the water and pollute it. The stem-injection technique can be used in dry or inclement weather conditions and the soil mustn’t be disturbed following a treatment.

Foliar Spray Application is one of the most favourable control methods alongside stem injection. The process is used to manage the Knotweed over a number of growing seasons. The herbicide spray is sprayed on the leaves and stems of the knotweed so it isn’t suitable if you want to keep the vegetation growing in and around it. Its use is determined by how big the area of Knotweed is, as it is frequently sprayed 2-3 times in the first year and once in the subsequent years. The chemical used is an Environment Agency approved herbicide and it requires dry weather conditions as well as the soil to remain undisturbed in the following years in order for it to remove it.

Weed Wiping Method is when the leaves of the plant are wiped with a sponge that’s soaked with the necessary Environment Agency approved herbicide. It is a low impact treatment method and does not kill or bother the foliage adjoining it so can be used if you want to keep the plants it is growing in and amongst and if the infestation is relatively new and the stems are small so the stem injection method can’t be used. This method being used depends on the size of the area of knotweed due to it being a very labour intensive process as every leave has to be wiped for it to be successful.

Bund/Stockpiling Method is a combined treatment using stem-injection or foliar application which is then followed by digging up the underground material and carefully moving it to a different location. The emergence of ‘new knotweed shoots’ is then subjected to further herbicide applications. This method is used on sites when the removal of the knotweed needs to be fast and not done over several seasons so it is consequently good for building and development sites as work can start almost straight away.

Cell Burial/Root Barrier Method is a treatment used if there is enough space on-site to make a cell burial or to make use of a root barrier system to avert the considerable expense of transporting the Knotweed waste to landfills. The Knotweed waste material is buried to a minimum depth, or if encapsulated within a geo-membrane it can be closer to the surface of the ground. Root barriers can be installed both vertically and horizontally when there is a risk of cross-boundary contamination. As with bund/stockpiling it is an approach that is generally used for development sites when construction has to start immediately.

Excavation & Removal Off-Site is a speedy control option that has its advantages for development sites if done correctly. There is a significant cost associated with this method of removal due to the challenges of there being a high chance of it spreading if not removed methodically and carefully by an expert as well as the cost of safely transporting it to a designated landfill site that will accept Knotweed. There is a duty of care required under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990 in regards to transporting and disposing of Knotweed and these must always be followed otherwise you could be at risk of a serious and hefty fine. To conclude, Excavation & Removal must only be used as an absolute last resort and it is one that many Knotweed professionals are not advocates of it as it raises significant logistical obstacles.

South West Japanese Knotweed Cheddar Removal & Control Specialists

We are a fully qualified Japanese Knotweed Certificated Surveyor (JKCS) who are members of the Property Care Association. We are a family-run business and we specialise in managing and controlling Japanese Knotweed, other invasive plant species and ‘general nuisance weeds’ that are found in the United Kingdom for residential premises and land development sites.

We also offer tree services, such as pollarding, crowning, pruning, felling, through our NPTC chainsaw operators in Cheddar, all of whom possess a vast amount of experience in the forestry industry.

Green Leaf Remediation & Removal Qualifications & Accreditations

• • City & Guilds NPTC Level 2
  • Principles of Safe Handling & Application of Pesticides (PA1/PA6)
  • Principles of Safe Handling & Application of Pesticides near water (PA6AW)
  • Herbicide Stem Injection
  • Members of the Property Care Association
  • The Control & Eradication of Japanese Knotweed Surveyor’s Training Course
  • Qualified Technician (PCAQT) in Japanese Knotweed
  • Accredited Surveyor in Japanese Knotweed

Whilst there are many Knotweed Specialists who operate within the United Kingdom weed control industry who are qualified, respectable, knowledgeable and experts, however, there are some businesses out there who will claim to be experts and will offer you a service but they don’t have the experience, qualifications and accreditations to remove or control Japanese Knotweed and this often means it will grow back. If they aren’t qualified they won’t have the necessary insurances to cover you if this happens and you will end up paying again. Always use caution and ensure the service provider/company you enlist to carry out the control programme are qualified to do so, that they adhere to the industry codes of practice and they are members of the Property Care Association.

Green Leaf Remediation & Removal Specialists covers the whole of Cheddar and the surrounding areas. We also carry out contracts in the West Country, as far North as Shropshire and into the Midlands & Birmingham areas.

If you think you might have Japanese Knotweed at your property in Cheddar then contact us on 0117 321 7799 or 07531142316 and one of our experts can answer any questions you may have and also arrange a free site visit to assess your property.