As its name suggests, Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is native to the Far East. Once upon a time, this plant was to be found only in Japan and neighbouring territories like Korea and China.

Now, as we've previously discussed, Japanese knotweed wasn't - and still isn't - much of a problem in its homeland, simply because the local ecosystem keeps the plant in check.

But at some point, somebody had the bright idea of bringing Japanese knotweed over to Europe, where it was able to run rampant and cause all kinds of problems for us Westerners.

Read More: What Damage Can Japanese Knotweed Do?

This raises the question: just who do we blame for bringing Japanese knotweed to Europe?

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Japanese knotweed causes a lot of problems in the UK, but you might be surprised to learn that this invasive species is NOT notifiable.

This means that, if you find Japanese knotweed in your garden, you are NOT legally required to notify the authorities. It is not an offence to have Japanese knotweed on your property as long as you are not allowing it to spread.

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Bleach is a household cleaning product that's great for killing germs in the bathroom - but it shouldn't be used to kill weeds.

If you've got Japanese knotweed on your property, you probably don't need us to tell you how difficult this invasive species is to get rid of. Knotweed is infuriatingly resilient; supermarket weedkillers tend to be ineffective, so your only real options are excavation or long-term control with specialist herbicides.

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Japanese knotweed causes a lot of problems here in the UK. It grows very quickly, it's difficult to get rid of, and it can cause structural damage by growing through small cracks in buildings. Properties with Japanese knotweed are difficult to sell, and worst of all, if you allow this invasive species to spread, you can be fined or sent to prison.

Still, if Japanese knotweed is capable of making life so difficult for us Brits, just think of how much chaos the plant must cause back home in its native Japan! Right?

Well, actually, no - Japanese knotweed isn't a big problem in Japan at all. Over there, it's just another plant.

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COVID-19 (coronavirus) remains the UK's public enemy number one, and while lockdown measures have started to relax in England, they're still in full effect here in Wales. The Welsh government are currently advising people to:

• Stay at home
• Go out for food, work and health reasons only
• Work from home if possible
• Stay 2 metres from other people
• Wash your hands immediately when you get home

If you have a garden, it's probably getting a lot of use right now - after all, spring is in the air, and if you want to enjoy the longer days and get a bit of fresh air, your own back garden is the safest place to do so!

But what if, while you're soaking up the sunshine, you spot Japanese knotweed shoots emerging from your soil?

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