Control and Treatment of Japanese Knotweed Abbots Leigh
If you are concerned you may have Japanese Knotweed Abbots Leigh then please do not worry. Green Leaf Remediation & Removal Services offers solutions for the treatment, control and removal of knotweed and be assured it doesn’t cost as much as you might think.
Japanese Knotweed is a perennial weed that will grow and propagates fairly quickly if not managed. The weed suppresses all the other plants and flowers growing close to it from its crown and rhizomes (root system) that spread extensively below ground. The shoots die out above ground in the winter and re-emerge above ground once again at the end of spring, early summer months. Any effectively established shoots can grow more than 9ft high and may colonize the soil within a few years.
Japanese Knotweed Myths
To put your mind at rest there are many myths and misconceptions about Japanese Knotweed and many are not true. Some of these include:
“It will grow through solid concrete”
“It will destabilise foundations”
“It will cause structural damage”
“Property affected by Japanese Knotweed is not mortgageable”
However, yes, Knotweed will spread quickly and easily from one tiny fragment but if the groundwork or construction of a property has been completed to a satisfactory standard and there are no cracks or damage then Knotweed will not grow or force its way through it and it will not destabilise solid foundations.
You should, however, be aware that if there are cracks in concrete or foundations, brickwork or pipework then Knotweed will take advantage of any weak point in its quest for light and water and will swiftly establish itself, whilst often exacerbating the initial crack and potentially causing damage.
There are many articles that say you can eliminate the roots with chemical substances, however, this will not be successful unless you use the right chemicals and you have to use an NPTC qualified person to use any chemical substances which is as a result of new legislation covering the control and removal of Knotweed. South West Knotweed are NPTC qualified as well as:
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- 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
The articles which tell you to remove Knotweed Abbotts Leigh yourself are in themselves misleading as without the experience and knowledge that is needed it is an extremely difficult and intricate process and in most cases, not successful unless you work with knotweed professionals. At the peak of its growing season, 60% of the Knotweeds roots are underground so removal is extremely difficult. Digging up the soil in which Knotweed s present will likely spread the infestation as it spreads wildly from one tiny fragment of crown or rhizome. Removing Knotweed material without considerable knowledge has a very high probability of dispersing the weed to other parts of the soil that have been previously unaffected and spreading it elsewhere which you will be liable for.
How do you control Japanese Knotweed Abbots Leigh?
There are recognised methods of removing Knotweed and a Knotweed Specialist like ourselves will identify if you have Knotweed and give you advice about the best and most efficient approach.
Stem-Injection is a low impact approach to removal and there is little risk of disturbing or killing the plants and flowers growing about it. The stem-injection method is normally used for smaller areas of Knotweed where it has established itself among plants and vegetation you want to keep. It’s also an approach generally applied when Knotweed is near a watercourse. The stem-injection technique can be used in dry or inclement weather conditions and the soil cannot be disturbed following a treatment. The stems need to be a certain width for this method to be used.
Foliar Spray Application is frequently employed and is probably the most favourable control strategies as well as the stem-injection approach. The process is used to manage the Knotweed over several growing seasons. Determined by the size of the area of Knotweed is it is usually sprayed 2-3 times in the first year and once in the following years. The chemical used is an Environment Agency approved herbicide and needs dry weather as well as the soil to remain undisturbed in the following years in order to work.
Weed Wiping Method is when the leaves of the weed are wiped with a sponge that is soaked with the required herbicide. It is a low impact treatment method that doesn’t kill or bother the plants surrounding it, nevertheless, its use depends on the size of the area of knotweed. The method can be used close to a watercourse.
Bund/Stockpiling Method is a combined treatment using stem-injection or foliar application, followed by excavating the underground material and removing the soil and materials to a different location where the emergence of ‘new shoots’ can be subjected to further herbicide applications. This approach can be used on sites where you need the removal of the knotweed to be fast and not done over several seasons so is therefore particularly beneficial to building plots of land and development sites as work can continue without delay.
Cell Burial/Root Barrier Method is a treatment employed if you have sufficient space on site to make a cell burial or utilising a root barrier to prevent the substantial costs of transporting the soil and waste to landfill. Cell burial buries the Knotweed waste to a minimum depth, or if encapsulated within 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 risk of cross-boundary contamination. Again, a method quite often suited for development sites when construction work has to start promptly.
Excavation & Removal Off-Site is a legitimate and quick control option that has its advantages for development sites if done correctly, nonetheless, a great deal of Knotweeds specialists are not advocates of it as it raises significant logistical problems. The challenges being it comes with an extremely high chance of the Knotweed spreading, plus the cost to securely transport the material to a designated landfill site. There are considerable duty of care requirements under the Environmental Protection Act(EPA) 1990. To conclude Excavation & Removal must only be used as an absolute final option.
Is Knotweed Harmful to Touch or be Near?
Essentially, Japanese Knotweed is not toxic or poisonous and is neither harmful to dogs, cats, people or any other animals like some other very invasive plants. It’s not harmful to touch, nonetheless, always employ extreme caution when in close proximity to it to avoid unintentionally allowing it to spread.
Japanese Knotweed would probably be termed as ‘poisonous’ by developers and homeowners due to its highly invasive growth, the capability to spread from a tiny particle left and just how difficult it is to eliminate completely.
About Green Leaf Remediation & Removal
Green Leaf Remediation & Removal Specialists covers the whole of South West including Abbotts Leigh, Clifton, and the whole of Bristol and its surrounding locations. We also carry out contracts in the West Country as far North as Shropshire and into the Midlands & Birmingham areas.
We are a fully qualified Japanese Knotweed Certificated Surveyor (JKCS) and a family run business that offers a high level and personable service to each of our customers. We specialise in controlling Japanese Knotweed, other invasive plant species and ‘general nuisance weeds’ which are found in the UK for residential premises and property development sites.
We also provide tree services, such as pollarding, crowning, pruning, felling, through our NPTC chainsaw operators, all of whom possess a vast amount of experience within the forestry industry.
Although there are many companies who operate within the UK weed control industry that are legitimate, knowledgeable and thorough professionals, you will find there are lots of companies who claim to have the experience, qualifications and accreditations to ‘eradicate’/ ‘eliminate’ Japanese Knotweed at a low cost who don’t have the knowledge and experience to successfully do this. We would advise anyone to exercise extreme caution and to ensure that the service provider/business you enlist to undertake the control programme are qualified to do so and they adhere to the industry codes of practice.
Contact us on 0117 321 7799 or 07531142316 and one of our experts will be able to answer any queries you may have and also arrange a site visit to assess how we can help you if you think you may have Japanese Knotweed Abbots Leigh.
You can read about our Japanese Knotweed Reports here which will help you if you think you may have Knotweed Abbots Leigh.
