Getting rid of Japanese Knotweed
If you find Japanese knotweed on your property you should begin treatment as soon as possible. The larger the infestation, the more damage it can potentially cause to building foundations and the more difficult it is to eradicate from your land.
If possible, keep the Japanese knotweed isolated to prevent the risk of it spreading. If you are selling your property and Japanese Knotweed has been identified on your land, obtain a Japanese knotweed guarantee so you can prove to mortgage lenders that the problem is under control. Remove any dead Japanese knotweed stems, roots and rhizome from the site and dispose of in a regulated waste disposal site. Ensure that you wash the shoes that you have worn on site thoroughly so that the Japanese knotweed does spread any further.
Check the contaminated areas for up to 4 years after the Japanese knotweed eradication and removal process has been completed to ensure that it has not grown back. If necessary you will need to contact the local council and environmental agency to obtain further information on how to treat and eradicate the weed and ensure that it does not grow back. If you are unsure, we can arrange a Japanese knotweed survey if you suspect you have knotweed on your property and are looking for help and advice.
Do not use herbicides or chemicals near any water as they can easily spread to surrounding areas and damage the environment and don't cut the stems without treating the roots. Cutting the stems encourages the roots to take on more nutrients that enhances the growth of the root system considerably. It is illegal to dispose of Japanese knotweed in standard compost heaps or an unlicensed waste disposal site. This can spread the infestation to other areas. Japanese knotweed must be disposed off in a licensed disposal site.
Similarly it is highly important not to spread any soil that has been contaminated with Japanese knotweed. The root system is resilient and will grow back. As a general rule of thumb, you should not spread any soil within a 10m radius of the Japanese knotweed infestation. The root system can grow up to 7m from the infected site. It is inadvisable to attempt to dig out Japanese knotweed yourself without professional advice. The roots can go down to 2m. If you miss a piece of it will grow back into a new plant and potentially spread the infestation even further.