I’m having some bother with invasive Japanese Knotweed from a neighbouring garden From what I understand it is illegal to knowingly allow its spread. The neighbour has assured me it’s being taken care of of by a professional company and has paid for a three year plan to eradicate it. I’ve called the company in question, expressed my concerns and is seems they want either £300 to start a new contract or £89 if my neighbour allows me to bolt on to her agreement. As this has been established in her garden for a number of years surely it would be her responsibility to address this matter? Anyone had similar dealings? TIA
It is her legal responsibility to stop it spreading into your garden. I personally would advise her of this and she should shoulder the associated costs.
I would say you are right, if it originates from her garden then she is responsible to eradicate it and that would include wherever it spreads to? If I was her I would have expected the people she’s paying to sort that under her contract with them, not them just to kill it off in her garden and then stop at the fence, if it has grown into your garden since they started then they’re not doing a very good job it seems?
Japanese Knotweed is a notifiable item on a house search these days and banks will not lend if it has not been dealt with properly, certified and then guaranteed for at least ten years.
This truly is a horrible plant. When a Knotweed Barrier Membrane is installed they have to dig to 3 metres in order to stop the roots/rhizomes. Hope you get this sorted
yes, threads like these are a good wake-up call. Not sure how old the statement is, but Woolwich/Santander quoted as saying (partly as above) they will loan on properties provided remover is member of PCA and has extended 10 years guarantee, would be interested to hear more from others.
And I’d think twice about contacting your local authorities. Once your house is associated with this little bastard it could well be negatively impacted value wise.
Agree with Mary above - the less officials involved the better for you. Paint the leaves with an almost undiluted glyphosate-based weedkiller. Mix in a drop of washing up liquid to "wet" it along with a tiny bit of water. Don't get it anywhere else and don't stand on where it has been applied or you will kill anything you walk on - like the lawn, for example. It kills right down to the roots but this plant might need a few goes to get it all.
Knotweed cannot be eradicated through herbicide treatment alone. It really is a horribly invasive plant and requires removal of the rhizomes. Then you have the problem of disposal. You cannot just take it down the local authority recycling centre.
And blame the Germans. A botanist called Philipp von Siebold who sent cuttings of the plant to Kew Gardens in the 1800’s
Just spoke to the guy, he is a professional horticulturist. He reckoned the glyphosate got it after repeatedly painting any new growth. But, he did dig it up and burn it 18 months later so it could just have been stunned by the weedkiller for a season - we will never know now I suppose. He said to get on to it ASAP, don't wait for your neighbours cowboys, sorry professionals, to act. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132633382019?epid=3031195301&hash=item1ee190cc83:g:~VAAAOSw5P9bBToO
It looks as if Network Rail have lost at least one court case in respect of the weed invading property adjacent to theirs. It might be worth looking into that example, as it might help to establish guidelines for responsibility in treating an infestation.
I remember reading something along those lines a while back. I’m hoping it won’t go this far, but that a good link, thanks. Just googled it, makes for a good case/ reference.
If using roundup it needs to be injected into the hollow stem just above the second nodgule(use a drenching gun and Ppe) best time to apply is autumn as the plant recedes, the roundup will recede with the plant,thus killing the root.under no circumstance dig it up until you are two years clear
