Control & Treatment of Japanese Knotweed Avonmouth –

Professionals Green Leaf Remediation Experts

Have you seen knotweed at your property?

Have you read on the internet how it could cost you £1,000’s to remove?

Are you concerned it may impact your mortgage?

Are you worried you may never be able to sell your property?

Please don’t worry, Green Leaf Remediation & Removal provides services for the treatment and control of knotweed in Avonmouth and the surrounding areas in Bristol and the South West. We have many years of experience and be assured it does not cost as much as you may think.

Green Leaf Remediation & Removals 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 Members
  • The Control & Eradication of Japanese Knotweed Surveyor’s Training Course
  • Qualified Technician (PCAQT) in Japanese Knotweed
  • Accredited Surveyor in Japanese Knotweed

The Facts About Japanese Knotweed Avonmouth

Japanese Knotweed is a perennial weed that will grow and spreads speedily if not managed.

The weed suppresses all other plant life growing close to it from its crown and rhizomes (root system) that spread extensively below the ground.

The shoots die off above ground during the winter and re-emerge above ground once more in the late spring, and early summer months.

Any well-established shoots can grow over 9ft high and can colonize the soil within a few years.

There are various articles that say you’ll be able to kill the roots with chemicals, however, you’ll need an NPTC qualified person to apply any chemicals as a result of new legislation which covers the control, and removal of Knotweed.

There are many misconceptions that say you are able to remove Knotweed yourself, however, it is really an extremely difficult and complicated procedure and usually, not successful unless you work with a knotweed professional like Green Leaf Remediation.

In the peak of the growing season, 60% of the Knotweed plant is its roots underground so removal is very challenging also it spreads wildly from one tiny fragment of crown or rhizome.

Removing Knotweed material without considerable knowledge has a very good probability of dispersing the plant to other areas of the soil which were previously unaffected.

If you allow knotweed to spread onto other areas or others’ property, land or into the countryside you can be prosecuted under UK law.

Japanese knotweed is classed as a controlled plant under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 section 114 (2) (WCA 1981).

It isn’t illegal for you to have Japanese knotweed on your property, however, it is if you allow it to spread into the wild or onto someone else’s property. It isn’t illegal to have Japanese Knotweed on your property, however, you can be prosecuted, or given a community protection notice for causing a nuisance if you allow it to spread onto anyone else’s property for people who have not effectively controlled the weed. There have been many cases of this which have resulted in huge fines for people and businesses.

You have to declare Japanese Knotweed if it is present and you are selling your home.

How do I eliminate Knotweed Avonmouth?

There are several methods of removing Knotweed Avonmouth and a Knotweed Specialist can give you advice on the best and most effective procedure.

Stem-Injection

A low-impact approach to removal and there is little chance of disturbing or killing the plants growing close to it. The stem injection method is normally used for smaller-sized areas of Knotweed where it has established itself amongst plants and vegetation you want to keep. It is also an approach frequently used when Knotweed is close to a watercourse. The stem injection approach works extremely well in dry or inclement weather conditions and the soil cannot be disturbed following the treatment.

Foliar Spray Application

Frequently employed and is amongst the most favourable control methods as well as stem injection. The process is used to treat the Knotweed over a number of growing seasons. Determined by how large the area of Knotweed is 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 requires dry weather conditions as well as the soil to remain undisturbed in subsequent years in order to work.

Weed Wiping Method

The leaves of the plant are wiped with a sponge that’s soaked with the necessary herbicide. It is a low impact treatment method and doesn’t kill or bother the foliage surrounding it, nevertheless, its use depends upon the size of the area of knotweed and it is normally used when the weed is in its infancy so a small area and if you are close to any watercourse.

Bund / Stockpiling Method

A combined treatment using stem-injection or foliar application, followed by digging up the underground material and removing the soil and materials to a different location where the emergence of ‘new shoots’ can be subjected to additional herbicide application. This process has to be approved by the Environment Agency and is normally used on sites where you need the removal of the knotweed to be fast and not done over several seasons so is consequently particularly beneficial to building plots and development sites as work can continue at once.

Cell Burial / Root Barrier Method

A treatment that is often used when there is enough space on-site to make a cell burial or utilise a root barrier system to avoid the significant 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, an approach frequently used on development sites when development work needs to start immediately.

Excavation & Removal Off-Site

A legitimate and fast control alternative that has its advantages for development sites if done correctly, nonetheless, a great deal of Knotweeds Professionals aren’t advocates of it mainly because it raises substantial logistical difficulties. The challenges are it comes with an extremely high chance of the Knotweed spreading and also the cost to securely transport the material to a designated landfill site. There is a substantial duty of care requirements under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990. In summary Excavation & Removal must only be used as an absolute final option and by a Knotweed Professional like Green Leaf Remediation who has the experience and know-how to effectively manage this process.

Is Knotweed Harmful to Dogs, Cats and Humans?

Essentially, Japanese Knotweed isn’t poisonous and harmful to dogs, cats, people or any other animals like some other highly invasive plants. It is not harmful to touch, however, always use extreme caution when in close proximity to it to avoid unintentionally allowing it to spread.

Japanese Knotweed could possibly be termed as ‘poisonous’ by developers and homeowners due to its very invasive growth, capability to spread from a tiny particle left and just how difficult it is to eliminate completely.

Knotweed Misconceptions

(many of which are taken advantage of 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
  • In simple terms, if the previous groundwork or construction has been performed to a satisfactory standard then Knotweed will not grow ‘through solid concrete, it will not destabilise solid foundations and it is highly, highly unlikely to ‘cause’ architectural damage. Actually, these claims are misleading, to say the least, and perhaps, entirely false.

Nonetheless, in certain situations, if the foundations or concrete are old, badly built and have pre-existing cracks or fractures within, then Knotweed will certainly manipulate any weak point in its pursuit of light and water and will quickly establish itself, whilst exacerbating the original fracture and possibly causing the structure to disintegrate as the weed searches for light.

Green Leaf Remediation & Removal Specialists cover Avonmouth and the whole of the South West as well as carrying 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. We specialise in controlling Japanese Knotweed, other invasive plant varieties and ‘general nuisance weeds’ which are found in the United Kingdom for residential premises and land development sites.

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

Although there are many companies who operate within the United Kingdom weed control industry that are respectable, knowledgeable and experts in the weed industry, there are regrettably plenty of companies who claim to have the experience, qualifications and accreditations to ‘eradicate’/ ‘eliminate’ Japanese Knotweed at low cost. We would advise anyone to exercise caution and to ensure the contractor/ company you enlist to undertake the control programme are qualified to do this and follow the industry codes of practice. Always ask what their qualifications are and about previous knotweed infestations they have managed.

If you think you could or have Knotweed in Avonmouth call us today on 0117 321 7799 or 07531142316 and one of our experts can answer any queries you have and can arrange a site visit which will identify if you have knotweed and give you the information you need to take the next steps.