Japanese Knotweed

snowcat75

Davesnave wrote: »

Rather a lot of assumptions there!:rotfl: Why are any chemicals I have, 'not stored properly?' Several years ago, before I retired, I undertook a 10 day programme at the taxpayer's expense to learn about chemicals and their use/storage in my workplace.

I presume you mean 'bunded' not 'bundled'

My chemicals are in a galvanised bin inside a brick building with a DPC so unless there's a major fire, they'll hardly constitute a hazard to the environment. I think my oil tank, with 1200 litres in it, might be a greater threat, though no one is suggesting I get rid of that!

Anyway, perhaps you misunderstand. As a smallholder, making no money from my land, but keen to keep it maintained and productive, I have other things to do with my limited finances.The EU mandarins are not interested in the likes of me, or the inconvenience they might cause me.

I will therefore do what I feel appropriate to protect my interests, and I suggest others in a similar position take heed and do likewise.

My tanks did need bunding, kero and diesel, even the flipping browser. different rules for business which at best seams unfair.

Which is again annoying with the use of pesticides, I have to have a PA1, a PA2, and recently a PA6, have an annual test on the sprayer, need a BACIS qualified agronomist, fill out an operator sheet every time the sprayer enters the field, which also includes a LERAP assessment, fill with spill controls, have an annual inspection on the store and have at least 8hrs of operator classroom training per year all at a great cost.

If I didn't do so I would have the EA, the HSE and DEFRA all to contend with.


Not a personal gripe, but when joe public can go out and do what they want, then it seams to stick two fingers up at us.

dvdrdl

Wow, sounds more like an exorcism than killing off a weed.

Gingernutty

dvdrdl wrote: »

Wow, sounds more like an exorcism than killing off a weed.

I finally got a team of clearance guys from Newcastle. They agreed to clear everything and leave the knotweed to me.

They showed up on Wednesday and did a fabulous job.

Yesterday, I went to town with the glyphosphate.

I made up triple the recommended concentrations, added three sachets of gel stump killer and sprayed as much knotweed I could reach until the sprayer ran out.

I used weedkiller on the rest of the yards as well, making it up at double the normal concentration.

Today, I poked my nose out the back yard gate and found everything was now yellow and shrivelling.

Except the knotweed.

It's still there, as green as before, like I'd only given it a good watering.

When should I call the priest? :eek:

jbainbridge

Gingernutty wrote: »

Yesterday ....

Today ....

Patience!!!

Gingernutty

Gingernutty wrote: »

Yesterday ...

Today ...

jbainbridge wrote: »

Patience!!!

But...but.....but.....everything else is dead/dying.....

Davesnave

Gingernutty wrote: »

But...but.....but.....everything else is dead/dying.....

If you knew the first thing about glyphosate, you'd not expect any visible signs of action yet, or indeed, even this time next week.

Adding extra weedkillers with instant action may actually harm the take-up of the glyphosate.

This is why professionals get fed up with Joe Public. (See snowcat's comment.) Triple concentrate? This is why the sale of strong weedkillers to Joe is being phased out.

daveyjp

Knotweed needs three applications between July and now, so you are at the end of the season for spraying.

Leave it for now, the plant will die back naturally over winter. You can cut the dead stalks in Feb, burn it then wait for the new growth and get a pro to spray in July, August and September next year. Continue until it has gone, possibly 3-5 years.

Gingernutty

Davesnave wrote: »

If you knew the first thing about glyphosate, you'd not expect any visible signs of action yet, or indeed, even this time next week.

Adding extra weedkillers with instant action may actually harm the take-up of the glyphosate.

This is why professionals get fed up with Joe Public. (See snowcat's comment.) Triple concentrate? This is why the sale of strong weedkillers to Joe is being phased out.

They were all glyphosate based. The gel helped it stick to the leaves.

I know there are weedkillers out there that have an instant effect - chlorate for example, but the systemic ones (glyphosate is the only one available to the likes of me) are absorbed and go down to the roots.

It's a systemic poison that'll kill off this beast.

I know this. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a complete idiot.

I just can't believe how tough this plant is that everything else is dying off already and it looks like it's just had a light shower. It's showing no effect at all.

Davesnave

Gingernutty wrote: »

They were all glyphosate based. The gel helped it stick to the leaves.

I know there are weedkillers out there that have an instant effect - chlorate for example, but the systemic ones (glyphosate is the only one available to the likes of me)

Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a complete idiot.

.

No you're not a complete idiot and you come across as a nice person, but you have only a partial understanding of this.

Firstly, as it's almost October, injection would probably have been your best bet. Plant metabolisms slow down now.

Secondly, cocktails of weedkillers aren't necessarily better. If plants show signs of withering 24 hours after spraying, then they are no longer transporting the chemical to their roots as effectively as they otherwise would. It also shows another active ingredient is present, as the strongest glyphosate shows no early signs of action.

Thirdly, sodium chlorate is no longer 'out there.' It vanished quietly from shelves in 2010, thus reducing the number of useful weed killers available. As a cheap, persistent chemical, it had been keeping many drives and paths weed-free, but the environmental wallahs decided it was too persistent. Now they are after the rest.....

...Because, contrary to your assertion, you and I have been able to buy the full range of professional chemicals on-line for years. Next November, all that ends . Though snowcat and I disagree to some extent about that, it will ensure that only a very limited range of chemicals get into the hands of 'ordinary gardeners.'

With knotweed there is no magic bullet or secret formula. The key is hitting it at the right time with the right method and then following-through. As someone else said, it might take up to 3 years on established sites, but it's not impregnable. The only way it appears so strong is usually via the human tendency to misunderstand methods,or forget about it too soon.

Gingernutty

Davesnave wrote: »

No you're not a complete idiot and you come across as a nice person, but you have only a partial understanding of this.

Firstly, as it's almost October, injection would probably have been your best bet. Plant metabolisms slow down now.

I was told to spray the plants when it was flowering. That's only occurred in the past few weeks and I only had the free time this week. Timing is everything with this critter, isn't it?

I'll know for next year.

Davesnave wrote: »

Secondly, cocktails of weedkillers aren't necessarily better. If plants show signs of withering 24 hours after spraying, then they are no longer transporting the chemical to their roots as effectively as they otherwise would. It also shows another active ingredient is present, as the strongest glyphosate shows no early signs of action.

I had to check before replying, no. There was no other ingredient in the stuff I used. The other plants were, well, more normal - bindweed, dock, dandelion and that purple stuff with the fluffy seeds.

Davesnave wrote: »

Thirdly, sodium chlorate is no longer 'out there.' It vanished quietly from shelves in 2010, thus reducing the number of useful weed killers available. As a cheap, persistent chemical, it had been keeping many drives and paths weed-free, but the environmental wallahs decided it was too persistent. Now they are after the rest.....

...Because, contrary to your assertion, you and I have been able to buy the full range of professional chemicals on-line for years. Next November, all that ends . Though snowcat and I disagree to some extent about that, it will ensure that only a very limited range of chemicals get into the hands of 'ordinary gardeners.'

I've just checked that too on the RHS website. Wow. I didn't realise there was all that stuff out there - although looking at the list of systemic weedkillers, glyphosate is pretty much the only game in town.

Davesnave wrote: »

With knotweed there is no magic bullet or secret formula. The key is hitting it at the right time with the right method and then following-through. As someone else said, it might take up to 3 years on established sites, but it's not impregnable. The only way it appears so strong is usually via the human tendency to misunderstand methods,or forget about it too soon.

Thanks for the reassurance. 3 years. Fantastic.....