Japanese Knotweed Pucklechurch by Green Leaf Remediation & Removal Specialists

At Green Leaf Remediation & Removal we understand the worry of thinking or knowing you have Japanese Knotweed at your property. We are well known and reputable in the Knotweed industry for being a trustworthy and professional family run business that are experts in what we do. If you think you have Japanese Knotweed in Pucklechurch then contact us today on 0117 321 7799 and we can arrange a free, no-obligation site assessment for you. We will establish if you have Knotweed and provide you with the options for safe and effective removal and control.

• • Are you worried you may have Japanese Knotweed at your property or development site in Pucklechurch?
  • Do you know you have knotweed at your property?
  • Have you read how it is likely to cost you a huge amount to remove?
  • Have you been told it will impact your mortgage?
  • Have you been told it will impact your ability to sell your home?

If any of these apply to you then don’t worry! Green Leaf Remediation & Removal Specialists can provide you with our expert services for the treatment and management of knotweed in Pucklechurch, and rest assured it won’t cost as much as you may be thinking.

About Green Leaf Remediation & Removal in Pucklechurch

Our Knotweed 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
  • Property Care Association
  • The Control & Eradication of Japanese Knotweed Surveyor’s Training Course
  • Qualified Technician (PCAQT) in Japanese Knotweed
  • Accredited Surveyor in Japanese Knotweed

Where do we cover?

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

We are a fully qualified Japanese Knotweed Certificated Surveyor (JKCS) who specialises in the management of Japanese Knotweed, other invasive plant varieties and ‘general nuisance weeds’ found in the UK for residential and business premises as well as development sites.

We also offer tree services, including pollarding, crowning, pruning, felling, and have our own NPTC chainsaw operators who work for us. At Green Leaf Remediation & Removal, we possess a vast amount of experience within the forestry industry and can help you achieve what you need to.

About Japanese Knotweed

Japanese Knotweed, also known as bamboo or peashooters is a weed that will grow and spread very quickly if not managed. It suppresses all other plants growing around it and the crown and rhizomes (root system) spread extensively below the ground without you even knowing. The shoots die out above ground in the winter and re-emerge above ground once more at the end of spring, early summer. Any effectively established shoots can grow over 9ft high and often will colonize the soil in a few years.

There are some articles that say you can kill the roots with off the shelf chemicals, however, you’ll need an NPTC qualified person to use any chemical substances that will kill Knotweed following new legislation which covers the control, and removal of the weed. There are many misconceptions that say it is possible to remove Knotweed by digging it up and using chemicals, however, it is really is an extremely difficult and complicated process and in most cases, not successful unless you employ a Knotweed expert. In the height of the growing season, 60% of the Knotweed plants roots are underground making removal incredibly difficult and it spreads wildly from one tiny fragment of crown or rhizome. Removing Japanese Knotweed without having extensive knowledge carries a high risk of dispersing the plant to other parts of the soil that have been previously unaffected. If you allow Knotweed to spread from your property or land to another or into the wild you will be fined an excessive amount as it is against the law.

People often think that knotweed is only found in really rural areas but this is not the case. We work in Pucklchurch and the surrounding areas to control and remove Knotweed and can identify if you have it and advise you of the best removal method for your property.

Japanese Knotweed Myths

(a few of which are exploited by some contractors for financial gain)

• • It will grow through solid concrete
  • It will destabilise foundations
  • It will cause structural damage
  • Property affected by Japanese Knotweed is not mortgageable
  • It is poisonous to dogs, cats, other animals and people
  • It’s harmful to touch

If the groundwork or construction is solid then Knotweed will not grow through it, it won’t destabilise solid foundations and it is highly unlikely to ‘cause’ architectural damage. These claims are deceptive, to say the least, and in many cases, entirely false.

When the foundations or the concrete of a property are old and have pre-existing cracks or fractures within them, then Knotweed will unquestionably manipulate any weak point in its search for light and water and will rapidly establish itself. This often exacerbates any crack and can in some cases cause a structure to become unstable.

Japanese Knotweed isn’t poisonous and harmful to dogs, cats, people or any other animals like some other very invasive plants. It’s not harmful to touch, but you should always use extreme care when near it to avoid inadvertently allowing it to spread.

Japanese Knotweed is often referred to as ‘poisonous’ by developers and homeowners because of its highly invasive growth, the capacity to spread from a tiny particle left and how difficult it is to eliminate without the help of a specialist.

Japanese Knotweed in Pucklechurch  – Removal & Control Methods Available

There are different methods of removing and controlling Knotweed at your property in Pucklchurch and at Green Leaf Remediation & Removal we can give you advice about the best and most effective methods.

Stem-Injection

A low impact way of removal with minimal risk of disturbing or killing the plants and flowers growing close to and within it. The stem-injection technique is normally used for smaller areas of Knotweed where it has established itself among plants and vegetation that you would like to keep. The stems of the Knotweed have to be established for this method to be used to ensure they can be injected with the herbicide. It can be used when the Knotweed is near a watercourse as there is minimal chance of pollution. The stem-injection approach can be used in dry or inclement weather conditions and the soil can’t be disturbed following a treatment.

Foliar Spray Application

A frequently used method and is amongst the most favourable control method alongside stem injection. The method is used to manage the Knotweed over a number of growing seasons and the solid needs to remain undisturbed in the following years. Depending on the size of the area of Knotweed is it is normally 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 needs dry weather conditions in order for it to work.

Weed Wiping Method

The leaves of the Knotweed are wiped with a sponge that is soaked with the required Environment Agency approved herbicide. It’s a low impact treatment that doesn’t kill or disturb the vegetation within or around it, however, due to the leave wiping process, its use depends on the size of the area of Knotweed. It can be used if the Knotweed is close to a watercourse and dry weather conditions are needed in order for it to be successful. It isn’t a method suitable for large areas where the Knotweed has started to take over. It is often used instead of the stem injection method when the stems of the Knotweed aren’t thick enough for the injection of the herbicide to be effective.

Bund/Stockpiling Method

This is a blended treatment method that uses the stem-injection and foliar spray application methods. These are followed by excavating the underground roots of the knotweed and the material and surrounding soil are carefully moved to a different location in which the emergence of ‘new shoots’ can be subjected to additional herbicide applications. This process can be used on sites where the removal of the Knotweed needs to be fast and not done over several seasons and on a site where there is available land not being used for the second part of the process to be carried out. It is a particularly beneficial method of removal for building plots and development sites as work can proceed without delay.

Cell Burial/Root Barrier Method

It is a treatment used when there is enough space on-site to create a cell burial or root barrier system to avert the considerable expense of transporting the soil and waste to landfills. Cell burial buries the Knotweed waste to a minimum depth, or if encapsulated inside a geomembrane it can be closer to the surface of the ground. Root barriers can be installed both vertically and horizontally when there is a danger of cross-boundary contamination. Again, it is a method most often used on development sites when construction work needs to start quickly.

Excavation & Removal Off-Site

Is a legitimate and swift control option that has its advantages for development sites if performed correctly, however, a lot of Knotweed Professionals are not advocates of it, simply because it raises considerable logistical problems. The challenges being there is an extremely high risk of the Knotweed spreading, as well as the cost to securely transport the material to a designated landfill site. There are duty of care requirement’s under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990 to prevent the Knotweed from spreading when using this method and you should only use someone who has extensive experience and understanding to carry it out. In conclusion, Excavation & Removal should only be used as an absolute last measure.

These removal and control methods should only ever be used by a Knotweed Specialist who has the qualifications, knowledge and insurances for the use of the required herbicides as well as the knowledge to ensure there is no risk of it spreading.

There are lots of Japanese Knotweed companies that operate within the UK weed control industry who are legitimate, knowledgeable and thorough professionals, like South West Knowteed Removals Services. However, regrettably, there are a lot of businesses who claim to have the experience, qualifications and accreditations to ‘eradicate’/ ‘eliminate’ Japanese Knotweed at low cost and this is not the case. Always check who you are using, ask them who they have worked for previously and examples of their work and check they are listed on the Property Care Association Website.

Any contractor/company undertaking a Knotweed control programme must be qualified and comply with the industry codes of practice.

If you think you may have, or you know you have Japanese Knotweed in Pucklechurch then give us a call on 0117 321 7799 or 07531142316 and one of our experts can answer any questions you may have and can arrange a free site visit and assessment.