what to do with japanese knotweed-eat it!

ALIBOBSY

Was reading on another forum when I spotted this link. We have been lucky so far and avoided the dreaded JK, although had my share of other nasties lol.

It would seem it tastes like a lemony rubbarb
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sussex/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8634000/8634285.stm

Its an old like from last year so may have been discussed on here before.

ali x

Sublime_2

Sounds quite nice!

PasturesNew

But you'd be eating the top part, it's the roots that are the problem, the roots that spread, the roots that eat through concrete.

ceridwen

Still havent come across any knotweed hereabouts - so re foraging possibilities.

.......but I've seen the photos of buildings wrecked by it...so if anyone does forage it please be very very careful to destroy any bits of it you dont eat (as I understand it can grow from even the smallest dropped bit).

elsien

ceridwen wrote: »

Still havent come across any knotweed hereabouts - so re foraging possibilities.

QUOTE]

Anyone who lives near me feel free to come and forage as much as you want from my antisocial neighbour who has a garden full of the stuff that the council are powerless to make him do anything about.
There's another neighbour between me and him who's doing his best, but it's marching relentlessly towards mine and I'm really getting quite worried.

budgetdiyer

elsien wrote: »

ceridwen wrote: »

Still havent come across any knotweed hereabouts - so re foraging possibilities.

QUOTE]

Anyone who lives near me feel free to come and forage as much as you want from my antisocial neighbour who has a garden full of the stuff that the council are powerless to make him do anything about.
There's another neighbour between me and him who's doing his best, but it's marching relentlessly towards mine and I'm really getting quite worried.

If it were me (and assuming you own your property) assuming you own the house, i'd be sending a solicitors letter to the neighbour (or the property owner) warning him that if the 'weed' enters your property you will be seeking damages from him.

If you own your house did you know mortgage companies run a mile if JKW is found? Actually if the outbreak is on your land they'll likely lend with a retention to have the JKW treated professionally, if its noticed on a neighbouring property some mortgage co's won't lend.

The theory being if its on your / their land it can be dealt with.

elsien

The problem is my neighbour is an extremely wealthy property developer who is used to using strong arm tactics, and I am skint. I think I know who'd win the battle of the solicitors and it wouldn't be me -it's a civil matter which he can afford to take on and I can't.

budgetdiyer

That makes it even more interesting. Is he likely to try and develop the land / house at some point in the future? If so he'll end up paying a fortune to have the land cleared if / when he does.

Does he know he has it on his land? Might be worth contacting him saying you've got some growing through on your side which you are removing but it appears the majority / the original growth is on his land.

RAS

elsien

Might be worth both your neighbour and yourself reading up on this http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-japanese_knotweed.pdf - the NT Guide to removing JK. It works: we cleared a section of allotment that was seriously invaded, completely.

Sadly, it pays to let the stuff grow like mad over the summer and then tackle it with the injection method in the latter part of August, so that the herbicide is dranw down into the roots as the plant goes dormant.

The following year we had a few strong stems growing mid-point between old haulms, which we let grow and treated in August. The rest of the minimal growth we painted with standard strength herbicide mixed with wallpaper paste. By the second spring any remaining growth was painted and the third year it was in cultivation.

elsien

To be honest, I don't think he cares. He rents the place out, he's well known in the area as a Rachman type landlord, I've told him what it is and that it needs chemical treatment, I've had the council send letters to him, so he's well aware of any obligations. But he basically doesn't do anything that'll cost him money, so he's completely ignoring us all until now.
Thanks for the link though - I'll print it off and give it to him. If he can get his minions to do it on the cheap he's more likely to get his act together than if he has to pay for full chemical treatment. There may be hope after all!

RAS

i am thinking of your next door neighbour, not the twit who is causing the "infection".