Has anybody ever had a problem with Japanese knotweed?

Mine is in full flower now. People keep telling me I should get it
removed but it looks so good!

Steve

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:03:57 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 15:34:21 +0100, Stephen Wolstenholme
wrote:

Has anybody ever had a problem with Japanese knotweed?

Mine is in full flower now. People keep telling me I should get it
removed but it looks so good!

Coming up through the patio or drive yet, is it? Or even through the
house walls? http://tinyurl.com/jfz59rm http://tinyurl.com/hpf3q5o

And be circumspect if you want to dispose of any of it. This, from
the RHS web site, http://tinyurl.com/j9y78qd

"On no account should any cut stems or roots be put into green waste
bins or domestic compost bins without being dried-off thoroughly in
the sun (and thus killed) for days or even weeks beforehand. The 1981
Wildlife and Countryside Act made it illegal to plant Japanese
knotweed in the wild or to allow it to grow by carelessly disposing of
unwanted cuttings or soil".

If nothing else, JK in your garden seriously devalues your house, and
even those of your neighbours. http://tinyurl.com/zwvy94k and
http://tinyurl.com/z9a2ftx

Knotweed paranoia devalued my house by £50,000 but I was buying not
selling.

I've read all the tales of horror about knotweed but mine is nowhere
near anything it could damage.

Steve

--
Neural Network Software for Windows http://www.npsnn.com

In article ,
says...

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:03:57 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 15:34:21 +0100, Stephen Wolstenholme
wrote:

Has anybody ever had a problem with Japanese knotweed?

Mine is in full flower now. People keep telling me I should get it
removed but it looks so good!

Coming up through the patio or drive yet, is it? Or even through the
house walls? http://tinyurl.com/jfz59rm http://tinyurl.com/hpf3q5o

And be circumspect if you want to dispose of any of it. This, from
the RHS web site, http://tinyurl.com/j9y78qd

"On no account should any cut stems or roots be put into green waste
bins or domestic compost bins without being dried-off thoroughly in
the sun (and thus killed) for days or even weeks beforehand. The 1981
Wildlife and Countryside Act made it illegal to plant Japanese
knotweed in the wild or to allow it to grow by carelessly disposing of
unwanted cuttings or soil".

If nothing else, JK in your garden seriously devalues your house, and
even those of your neighbours. http://tinyurl.com/zwvy94k and
http://tinyurl.com/z9a2ftx

Knotweed paranoia devalued my house by £50,000 but I was buying not
selling.

I've read all the tales of horror about knotweed but mine is nowhere
near anything it could damage.

Wait till next week....

Janet

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:22:58 +0100, Janet wrote:


Wait till next week....

Janet

I've seen lots of horror stories in the media but I still have not
found anyone who has actually had a problem with Knotweed. Neither has
my gardener. He cuts it down and burns it when it has finished
flowering.

Steve

--
Neural Network Software for Windows http://www.npsnn.com

In article ,
says...

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:22:58 +0100, Janet wrote:


Wait till next week....

Janet

I've seen lots of horror stories in the media but I still have not
found anyone who has actually had a problem with Knotweed. Neither has
my gardener. He cuts it down and burns it when it has finished
flowering.

I'm wondering if your gardener has correctly identified what he's
calling knotweed.


Janet

On Fri, 1 Jul 2016 15:21:44 +0100, Janet wrote:

In article ,
says...

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:22:58 +0100, Janet wrote:


Wait till next week....

Janet

I've seen lots of horror stories in the media but I still have not
found anyone who has actually had a problem with Knotweed. Neither has
my gardener. He cuts it down and burns it when it has finished
flowering.

I'm wondering if your gardener has correctly identified what he's
calling knotweed.


I would hope so!

The one in my garden is like the one shown at
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=knotweed

Steve

--
Neural Network Software for Windows http://www.npsnn.com

On 30/06/2016 15:34, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:
Has anybody ever had a problem with Japanese knotweed?

Mine is in full flower now. People keep telling me I should get it
removed but it looks so good!

Steve



It's looking good is what brought it into this country. It's being a
dangerous, pernicious overgrown weed that has caused it to be banned
from being grown in this country.

Here in London, we see it coming up through concrete, asphalt and other
paving. It really can damage houses, drains and listed landscapes.
I've had it in my garden and I've seen how it grows. Thankfully, I
managed to get rid of mine after about 3 yrs concentrated effort.
An empty building plot near us was completely infested with it.
Developer after developer tried to remove it. Eventually, one of them
built a house on that site. The knotweed is growing through the
pavement and hardstanding all around it. The house will be next.

I think you are being seriously reckless with your own property and that
of your neighbours if you think you can ignore it. There is a very good
reason why your house couldn't be sold at market price. You are sitting
on a deciduous time bomb - just because you can't see it over the winter
doesn't mean it's not growing (yes, even through winter!) underground.
Please take the warnings you've received seriously or your home and that
of immediate locals will be valueless.

Sorry to rant at you, Stephen, but you really must get rid of that
knotweed before you regret it.

--
Spider
On high ground in SE London
Gardening on heavy clay

Spider wrote:
On 30/06/2016 15:34, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:
Has anybody ever had a problem with Japanese knotweed?

Mine is in full flower now. People keep telling me I should get it
removed but it looks so good!

Steve



It's looking good is what brought it into this country. It's being a
dangerous, pernicious overgrown weed that has caused it to be banned
from being grown in this country.

Here in London, we see it coming up through concrete, asphalt and
other paving. It really can damage houses, drains and listed
landscapes. I've had it in my garden and I've seen how it grows.
Thankfully, I managed to get rid of mine after about 3 yrs
concentrated effort. An empty building plot near us was completely
infested with it.
Developer after developer tried to remove it. Eventually, one of them
built a house on that site. The knotweed is growing through the
pavement and hardstanding all around it. The house will be next.

I think you are being seriously reckless with your own property and
that of your neighbours if you think you can ignore it. There is a
very good reason why your house couldn't be sold at market price. You are
sitting on a deciduous time bomb - just because you can't see
it over the winter doesn't mean it's not growing (yes, even through
winter!) underground. Please take the warnings you've received
seriously or your home and that of immediate locals will be valueless.

Sorry to rant at you, Stephen, but you really must get rid of that
knotweed before you regret it.

+1
They've not knocked 50K off the house as a gesture of goodwill

Getting all your drains dug up and replaced will be the first major job,
this will be after years of getting them rodded and jetwashed at £400 a pop.
Expect to pay upwards of 6K for replacement plus additional costs of
relaying patios, paths, driveways etc.

And of course, expect to repeat this process every five years or so, unless
you tackle the problem.

Not sure of the legal implications but if your neighbours' properties/drains
etc suffer damage due to this, you may end up with some big bills to pay.

Old concrete (pre 1970, which may include your house floor) is readily
destroyed by the roots as they make their way into hairline cracks and widen
them, likewise with brickwork and underground foundations.

When it's gone for good, your house may actually get nearer to it's genuine
market value, so spending some money now will get you ten times back in the
future.

In article ,
says...

Spider wrote:
On 30/06/2016 15:34, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:
Has anybody ever had a problem with Japanese knotweed?

Mine is in full flower now. People keep telling me I should get it
removed but it looks so good!

Steve



It's looking good is what brought it into this country. It's being a
dangerous, pernicious overgrown weed that has caused it to be banned
from being grown in this country.

Here in London, we see it coming up through concrete, asphalt and
other paving. It really can damage houses, drains and listed
landscapes. I've had it in my garden and I've seen how it grows.
Thankfully, I managed to get rid of mine after about 3 yrs
concentrated effort. An empty building plot near us was completely
infested with it.
Developer after developer tried to remove it. Eventually, one of them
built a house on that site. The knotweed is growing through the
pavement and hardstanding all around it. The house will be next.

I think you are being seriously reckless with your own property and
that of your neighbours if you think you can ignore it. There is a
very good reason why your house couldn't be sold at market price. You are
sitting on a deciduous time bomb - just because you can't see
it over the winter doesn't mean it's not growing (yes, even through
winter!) underground. Please take the warnings you've received
seriously or your home and that of immediate locals will be valueless.

Sorry to rant at you, Stephen, but you really must get rid of that
knotweed before you regret it.

+1
They've not knocked 50K off the house as a gesture of goodwill

Getting all your drains dug up and replaced will be the first major job,
this will be after years of getting them rodded and jetwashed at £400 a pop.
Expect to pay upwards of 6K for replacement plus additional costs of
relaying patios, paths, driveways etc.

And of course, expect to repeat this process every five years or so, unless
you tackle the problem.

Expenses which your home insurers are very likely to refuse to pay.
If your knotweed spreads to affect neighbours drains, foundations etc,
their insurers may sue you.

https://consultations.rics.org/consu.../viewCompoundD
oc?docid=1228212&partid=1228372
"
Insurers do not generally ask any specific questions about Japanese
Knotweed when a homeowner applies for a building insurance policy.
Although it is not specifically excluded, most buildings insurance
policies do not cover damage and problems caused by Japanese Knotweed.
Additionally, because the damage occurs gradually, it is unlikely to be
covered in the future.
Where Japanese Knotweed originates from a neighbouring property,
insurance companies are likely to pursue others for the costs of the
damage caused.
A number of lenders claim that they are unable to obtain insurance
cover for property affected by Japanese Knotweed.

2.3.2 This can leave a homebuyer in a difficult situation where their
preferred lender will not grant a mortgage unless the homebuyer can
secure a building insurance policy that covers damage caused by Japanese
Knotweed; but the homebuyer cannot get an insurance policy that does.

2.3.3 Consequently, lenders and owners may need to tackle the problems
posed by Knotweed without the support of building insurance policies."

Janet

Spider posted

Sorry to rant at you, Stephen, but you really must get rid of that
knotweed before you regret it.


Doesn't glyphosate do it?

--
Les

Big Les Wade wrote:
Sorry to rant at you, Stephen, but you really must get rid of that
knotweed before you regret it.

Doesn't glyphosate do it?

Grin.

On Sat, 09 Jul 2016 08:07:37 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Fri, 8 Jul 2016 22:30:48 +0100, Big Les Wade wrote:

Spider posted

Sorry to rant at you, Stephen, but you really must get rid of that
knotweed before you regret it.


Doesn't glyphosate do it?

ISTR that the best way to treat it is, as you say, with glyphosate, but
specifically towards the end of the summer or early autumn, cut it off
at about 3 ft, and pour a half-strength glyphosate solution into the
hollow stems. The glyphosate is then slowly absorbed and taken down into
the root as the plant dies back in the autumn, never to emerge in the
spring.

It will take a couple of years of treatment to fully eradicate though so
don't expect to get it all in one go.

I daily drove past a 'colony' and watched as it was treated for, aprox, 3
years before it was completely eliminated. Its tough stuff!

On Sat, 09 Jul 2016 11:34:45 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Sat, 09 Jul 2016 03:03:21 -0500, Ermin Trude
wrote:

On Sat, 09 Jul 2016 08:07:37 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Fri, 8 Jul 2016 22:30:48 +0100, Big Les Wade
wrote:

Spider posted

Sorry to rant at you, Stephen, but you really must get rid of that
knotweed before you regret it.


Doesn't glyphosate do it?

ISTR that the best way to treat it is, as you say, with glyphosate,
but specifically towards the end of the summer or early autumn, cut it
off at about 3 ft, and pour a half-strength glyphosate solution into
the hollow stems. The glyphosate is then slowly absorbed and taken
down into the root as the plant dies back in the autumn, never to
emerge in the spring.

It will take a couple of years of treatment to fully eradicate though so
don't expect to get it all in one go.

I daily drove past a 'colony' and watched as it was treated for, aprox,
3 years before it was completely eliminated. Its tough stuff!

Better buy enough glyphosate to last three years. It might not be
available in 18 months time.

I have enough stocked to see me out! But I don't have any JK around me.

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 09 Jul 2016 08:07:37 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Fri, 8 Jul 2016 22:30:48 +0100, Big Les Wade wrote:

Spider posted

Sorry to rant at you, Stephen, but you really must get rid of that
knotweed before you regret it.


Doesn't glyphosate do it?

ISTR that the best way to treat it is, as you say, with glyphosate, but
specifically towards the end of the summer or early autumn, cut it off
at about 3 ft, and pour a half-strength glyphosate solution into the
hollow stems. The glyphosate is then slowly absorbed and taken down into
the root as the plant dies back in the autumn, never to emerge in the
spring.

It will take a couple of years of treatment to fully eradicate though so
don't expect to get it all in one go.

I daily drove past a 'colony' and watched as it was treated for, aprox, 3
years before it was completely eliminated. Its tough stuff!

Our local council has been spraying several local colonies of JKW for
several yesrs. You can see the deadly effect every time they treat it,
but the next year it rises from the grave again.

AFAIK, in the UK climate JKW does not propagate by seed; so a
colony's survival after weedkilling is not down to seed germination; it
reflects the depth, extent and vigour of its root systems.

Janet



Janet

On Sat, 9 Jul 2016 13:38:30 +0100, Janet wrote:

Our local council has been spraying several local colonies of JKW for
several yesrs. You can see the deadly effect every time they treat it,
but the next year it rises from the grave again.

AFAIK, in the UK climate JKW does not propagate by seed; so a
colony's survival after weedkilling is not down to seed germination; it
reflects the depth, extent and vigour of its root systems.

Janet


Apparently JKW is quite tasty. Next spring when it starts to grow I'm
going to try it.

Steve