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Japanese Knotweed - one shoot!

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  • DaftyDuck
    DaftyDuck Posts: 4,609 Forumite
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    Not sick slugs, choosy ones! It's very tasty, like asparagus apparently. Haven't tried it, but supposedly so.

    Yes, that's the right technique. But....

    ... I probably shouldn't advise this, but.... Is it really only one stem, and do you think it arrived on sole of shoe/brought in somehow, rather than spreading from neighbour? If so, I might personally be tempted to treat it now, and repeat treatment on any bit that comes up for a month, then excavate. That's just a personal opinion, and I'm a very thorough digger-upper!
  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,306 Forumite
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    Several of the companies will confirm from photographs if something is knotweed, for free. Depends on if you trust and believe your neighbours or want further confirmation.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • Apodemus
    Apodemus Posts: 3,384 Forumite
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    Lots of good advice above. With all due respect to your neighbour, you really need to get a proper second opinion to verify that it is indeed knotweed. One stem of knotweed is like “one ant”, yes they occur but it is relatively rare to see one isolated from its source.

    Personally, I wouldn’t wait till August, but would nuke it with glyphosate now and repeat for as long as necessary. Every day you leave it, the roots are getting longer and the risk that the glyphosate doesn’t completely kill it increases.

    Also, if you decide to dig it up, you need to think through what you are going to do with the material - it must not go to compost or general landfill, as it is scheduled waste and needs to be handled properly. Digging runs the risk of breaking up live roots and increasing the number of plantlets next year, so I would leave it where it is and keep on top of the weed killing.
  • Car1980
    Car1980 Posts: 301 Forumite
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    edited 2 June 2019 at 2:52PM
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    Relax. Get some Roundup Provantage and spray it this month.

    https://www.pitchcare.com/shop/professional-total-weed-killers/roundup-provantage.html

    The leaves will go yellow and drop off after about 10-14 days. You'll think it's not
    working, whereas it'll be circulating through the plant, which is what you want. Only spray once and don't dig it up.

    If it's one shoot it is unlikely to appear again next year. But if it does, spray again in June (no earlier).

    Then just avoid digging around the location of the shoot.

    Knotweed is killable - you just have to use the right weed killer and spray every June like clockwork. A massive stand will be gone in 4 or 5 years this way (although it's recommended to stem inject big stands in September in addition to spraying).
  • SandraScarlett
    SandraScarlett Posts: 4,133 Forumite
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    Well the expert came, confirmed it JKW, at which point, I cried. He hugged me and said "There, there. I shouldn't say this, but …………………..".


    He said as it was only one stem, there was no way he could charge me the thousands of £s it would cost, and to treat it with a product that he got me, that cost me £4.75!! :A


    I sprayed it every other day, as per his instructions, and it's already died back, with just a stem showing. Apparently, I should attempt to dig that up, if I can, or if not, cut it right back and either burn the stem, or dispose of it in the black bin bag collection.


    If it appears again next year, I should repeat the process. Apparently, it can be wind-borne, be brought in by a fox, or even a mouse, or it could have come from next door, who have laid paving stones over the area they dug up.


    But at least now I know, and thank you all so much for your wonderful help.
    :beer:
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    Good! Dafty's post 12 said much the same.:A

    Just keep a weather eye out.
  • DaftyDuck
    DaftyDuck Posts: 4,609 Forumite
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    ... and Dafty agrees with himself. His JK has failed to appear this year, but e is keeping his beak peeled!
  • greyteam1959
    greyteam1959 Posts: 4,576 Forumite
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    And what was this magic £4.75 product that the guy produced ??
    Brand name or active ingredient please.
  • SandraScarlett
    SandraScarlett Posts: 4,133 Forumite
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    Hmmmmmmm! Well I gave him an empty rinsed-out litre spray bottle, that had once contained Path Clear, and it was returned to me, full.


    I asked no questions. He could have said £5, £10, even £50 and I would have paid. I offered him a donation to the charity of his choice, and he said the coffee I made him was enough! :A
  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,229 Forumite
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    SandraScarlett wrote: »
    Hmmmmmmm! Well I gave him an empty rinsed-out litre spray bottle, that had once contained Path Clear, and it was returned to me, full.


    I asked no questions. He could have said £5, £10, even £50 and I would have paid. I offered him a donation to the charity of his choice, and he said the coffee I made him was enough! :A


    Restores ones faith in human nature, shows not all are out to rob the unsuspecting
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
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