General Chat

a huge problem throughout the UK it seems - I know we have a lot of it here in South Wales and it seems near impossible to eradicate

Anyone have any quick fixes for getting shot of it, and not just Japanese Knotweed, there are other seemingly non removable things around - solutions appreciated!

I have the Alys Fowler book called The Thrifty Forager and she says that Japanese Knotweed is edible, I think.

Unless I go downstairs and look I will not be sure she didn't say it was Himalayan Balsam. That's another scourge though.

Ground elder, another scourge of the gardener, is also edible and was introduced as a vegetable by the Romans.

Ann, you could always eat it to extinction ... :-D :-D :-D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sussex/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8634000/8634285.stm

Ann,

There is specialist firms to get completely rid of Japanese Knotweed.

Not cheap but gone fortever.

Allan Titchmarsh has dug it out but takes ages.


It's a specialist job as they have to have certain equipment..

http://www.knotweed-removal.co.uk/welcome-to-the-knotweed-company.php


http://www.japaneseknotweedremoval.co.uk/


Just a couple of firms to look at...last one does a FREE site assesment

Himalayan Balsam has been around longer than the knotweed - alwys grows in damp places - river Taff has it all aong the banks as well as the knoitweed

In recent years it has been a growing problem in the UK (pun totally intended).

I think you can use glyphosate but be very careful - it is pretty potent stuff,.

It is very invasive and totally unwanted I must admit.

I find it very irritating and it can also be very damaging - it will eat its way through almost anything.

it sure does

It is known that if you constantly dig at it, the roots will weaken......

Its horrible stuff not nice at all :-(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_knotweed

We also have a lot of it all along the road verges. The local council spray it, and I have been told that it takes 5 years of persistant spraying to kill it off. A very expensive operation.

The stuff the council uses is only available to professionals and can't be bought by the likes of you and me.

I have been told that the best way to get rid of small amounts in the garden is with RoundUp. You cut the stem a few inches above the ground and pour the weedkiller in. Very fiddly and very time consuming, but it apparantly works.