Throughout history, invasive plant and animal species that have been introduced to certain locations around the world have caused both micro and macro ecosystems to crumble. Without any natural predators, these new species are often left to cause irreversible damage that results in entire habitats being completely destroyed as well as communities being hampered with costly damage. 

For those of you who don't know, an invasive species can be any kind of living organisms such as fish, insect, amphibian, fungus or plant that is introduced to an ecosystem that they are not part of and proceed to cause harm and/or damage to the surrounding environment, economy or human health. Species can also be classed as invasive if they grow and reproduce at a fast rate, spread aggressively and carry the threat of causing harm. 

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Some people may look at Japanese knotweed as a beautiful, ornamental plant. After all, that's one of the reasons it was brought to the country in the first place! Planting Japanese knotweed on your property is forbidden for a number of reasons. However, when you realise how damaging Japanese knotweed can be, you'll probably wish you never considered planting it anyway.

Photo by Leonora Enking (View Original)

You'll remember from our blog - What Damage Can Japanese Knotweed Do? - that Japanese knotweed can make it difficult to sell your home, can cause structural damage to buildings and roads and can even disrupt cables and block drains. This plant is likely to cause you a great deal of hassle, so why you'd want to plant it is a mystery!

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When a tree is cut down, a stump of wood is usually left behind. These unsightly stumps can be removed via a process called stump grinding, where specialist machinery is used to grind the wooden tree stump down to chippings.

But is this actually necessary? Granted, a bare tree stump can be unattractive, but are there are any reasons to remove a tree stump other than making the landscape more picturesque?

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Last month, the Daily Mail reported that a homeowner in Buckinghamshire had found Bohemian knotweed (Fallopia x bohemica) growing in his garden. Stuart Marshall from Aylesbury ended up calling in an invasive weed specialist to remove this troublesome plant from his property.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

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When it comes to the treatment of Japanese knotweed, there are a number of options to consider. The two most popular choices, however, are those of excavation and herbicide application.

Now, we know excavation may sound a little scary but we can assure you that your whole garden isn't going to be ripped to pieces. Regardless, the thought of having a digger on or around your property tearing away at the ground can be somewhat offputting, therefore herbicide application is often the go-to choice for many homeowners.

One of the many discussed treatments is glyphosate, an active ingredient in many herbicides. But does glyphosate kill Japnese knotweed off completely? Let's find out...

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