Japanese knotweed is an invasive plant species that's notoriously hard to control and treat. There are lots of different methods you can use to stop the spread of knotweed, but homeowners and gardeners are always on the lookout for new, effective methods to try.

One of the main hurdles faced when treating Japanese knotweed is making sure that the plant visible above ground and the roots and shoots underground are completely destroyed. After all, this is the only way you can prevent the knotweed problem from coming back in the future. A lot of the time, knotweed technicians remove excavated land knowing full well that remanence of the invasive weed could cause a problem later down the line, but there are very few ways of effectively killing the entire plant.

Researchers are trailing a soil treatment that uses high temperatures to eradicate the plant roots before the excavated soil is taken away from the site. It makes perfect sense when you think about it, plants require optimal temperature conditions if they’re going to thrive. Put them in an environment that’s too cold or too hot and they won’t be able to grow or develop at their usual rate.

Testing the effectiveness of heat on knotweed

The study carried out by two researchers; Van Gelder Aannemingsmaatschappij and Van den Herik Zuigtechniek involved soil from six known knotweed infestations being strained and treated using revolutionary mobile heating apparatus.

After the soil was heated, the researchers studied it for seven weeks to monitor whether any knotweed would grow from it or not. The results showed that straining and heating the soil reduced the number of vital fragments by an impressive 99%!

This is a soil treatment that is not yet being used in mainstream knotweed treatment but could really help to reduce the spread of knotweed from excavated soil in the future. Researchers indicated that this method would need to be combined with a suitable aftercare plan to make sure that no surviving shoots would cause problems later down the line – something that would need to be considered carefully before technicians tried this method.

If you have a Japanese knotweed problem that needs treating – take a look at the different treatment methods we offer. Alongside excavation and removal programs we also offer herbicide application programs to rid your property of this invasive weed for good!

Japanese knotweed is known for causing havoc in gardens across England and Wales. This aggressive invasive species spreads fast and can cause structural damage to homes and buildings. Its presence may even decrease the value of your home or discourage mortgage companies from lending to you, so it is vital that you tackle the issue properly.

What is Japanese knotweed?

Japanese knotweed is a strong and fast-spreading perennial plant. While not native to the UK, it can be found in numerous locations throughout the country. It spreads quickly due to its aggressive rhizome root system - these rhizomes can grow up to 4 metres deep, meaning they require treatment and disposal by specialist teams to remove the plant.

Japanese knotweed can look very similar to other decorative plants, so be sure to read our Japanese knotweed identification guide and learn what to look out for in your garden.

Who is responsible for removing Japanese knotweed?

In England and Wales, it is a criminal offence to encourage the growth of Japanese knotweed or allow it to spread. Clearing the weeds as soon as possible is key if you don't want to damage to your property or run into legal trouble.

If Japanese knotweed is on your property, it is your responsibility to organise its removal. The plant can be cleared via excavation or through a herbicide treatment. It is strongly recommended that you arrange this with a professional, qualified specialist, as there are many regulations governing how to dispose of Japanese knotweed.

If there is Japanese knotweed in a neighbour's garden, you should discuss this with them if possible. It is not a crime to have Japanese knotweed on your property; however, if the knotweed spreads to your land, you may be able to take legal action against your neighbour for creating a nuisance.

In 2014, a law was introduced allowing local governments to penalise people for not taking adequate steps to eradicate Japanese knotweed. Talk to your local council's environmental team, who will have the authority to encourage your neighbour to address the problem if necessary.

Read More: What to Do If Your Neighbour Has Japanese Knotweed

I'm renting a property - is it my landlord's responsibility to get rid of Japanese knotweed?

Check your contract to see whether you are responsible for the removal of Japanese knotweed. Some landlords may put clauses into contracts that agree the tenant is responsible for removing invasive plant species. They may assist you with the task due to the aggressive nature of the plant and the potential damage to their property.

Once you have figured out who needs to clear the weed, it is time to act. Taylor Total Weed Control's Japanese knotweed treatment plans are very reasonably priced, making tackling this problem easy and affordable compared to other weed removal specialists. Our team of technicians will be able to assess the extent of the damage and best advise you on how to address the issue with a free survey.

Call us today on 029 2039 7554 to arrange a free weed removal consultation, or get in touch for more help and advice on clearing Japanese knotweed.

Request a Free Japanese Knotweed Survey >

We all know that dogs are capable of some remarkable things, they can lead the blind, aid police officers and provide therapy for sick patients. Well, the talents of the canine don't stop there! Did you know they can also detect Japanese knotweed?

A Start-Up Company in Ireland

Helga Heylen founded her start-up company back in 2018 and has been training dogs to detect Japanese knotweed with incredible accuracy. Heylen claims that one of her sniffer dogs is able to detect the Japanese knotweed rhizomes even if they haven't broken the surface of the soil yet!

Using their powerful noses, the dogs are able to identify the exact location of a developing knotweed problem. Heylen currently has three knotweed detecting dogs working for her, one is a purebred labrador and the others are labrador-beagle crosses. 

These amazing sniffer dogs can really transform the way that Japanese knotweed is detected and treated. Rhizomes as small as a fingernail can be laid dormant under the soil for a number of years before developing into a fully-fledged knotweed nightmare! If dogs can help commercial property developers, home and business owners to quickly find and treat the problem, it could prevent a huge amount of structural damage later down the line. 

How Do These Dogs Work?

Unlike humans, dogs don't need to be able to see the knotweed to know it's there! They have a keen sense of smell that can identify rhizomes several metres under the ground. They can quickly move through over-grown terrain and don't need bright lights to work. This means they can quickly survey abandoned areas of land that humans simply couldn't access on foot. 

Doggy Danger

While these dogs might sound like miracle workers to those of you with a knotweed problem, there are some people who do not feel so positively about them. While working in Belgium, one of Heylen's dogs was given poisoned food after it detected knotweed at the site of an upcoming commercial development. The discovery of the knotweed by the talented pooch delayed the development project, which was a source of frustration for investors. 

Since then, security for the dogs has been tightened to make sure nothing like this happens again. They sleep under security cameras and are kept indoors near to the handlers. Hopefully, they can continue to carry out their work unharmed from now on! Heylen said: "You know it's a good thing when it excites like-minded people, which is certainly the majority and really scares others".

If you think you could have a Japanese knotweed problem on your hands, we can't provide sniffer dogs, but we can provide a FREE expert survey and Japanese knotweed treatment plan.

 Request a FREE Survey >

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A Welsh council’s decision to continue using a weed killer that has been linked causing cancer has been described as a ‘kick in the teeth for residents’.  

Torfaen council has decided to continue their use of a glyphosate-based weed killer on the invasive Japanese knotweed in a meeting this week, whilst continuing to monitor alternatives that are being developed. A motion to halt the use of the product and one to limit its use to preventing Japanese knotweed were both rejected before councillors voted to continue to continue using the glyphosate-based product.

A protest was organised out the council chamber in Pontypool ahead of the meeting, with campaigners urging council members not to vote for its continued use. In addition, around 700 people have signed a petition titled ‘stop spraying our towns with probable cancer-causing glyphosate’, which was presented to the council last year.

Councillor Fiona Cross who is a cabinet member for the environment said that there could be a ‘detrimental effect’ on the appearance of the county borough as well as structural issues if they were to stop using the weed killer without having a suitable alternative in place.

She also pointed out that the authority uses a low concentration substance which is endorsed by both the Welsh Government and European Union. Council leader Anthony Hunt backed up the previous statements saying the council must take a pragmatic approach but added that if a ‘better alternative’ was to become available, then the council ‘should look to use that.’

Independent councillor David Thomas, on the other hand, stated that the council should not take ‘unnecessary risks’ by using the weed killer and called for it to be scrapped. Councillor Elizabeth Haynes put forward a motion for the authority to stop using the product but an amended version was voted down. A second motion was proposed by Conservative councillor Huw Bevan, which called for the council to continue using the weed killer but not in ‘high public footfall’ areas.

Cllr Bevan said he understood there is ‘no other effective treatment’ for the invasive weed, but called for the authority to further limit the product’s use elsewhere. This motion was also rejected.

Campaigner Terry Banfield said the decision is a “total kick in the teeth for residents.”

Professional Knotweed Removal

Here at Taylor Total Weed Control, we provide professional knotweed removal services that eradicate the presence of Japanese knotweed from your premises. Depending on the severity of your infestation, we offer two types of treatment plans; herbicide application programmes or excavation and removal programmes – both of which are conducted in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way. Click below to learn more.

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For more information on our professional knotweed services, be sure to get in touch with a member of the Taylor Total Weed Control team today!

A warning has been recently issued regarding a destructive ‘hybrid’ plant, known as Bohemian knotweed produced as a result of cross-fertilisation between Japanese knotweed and Giant knotweed.

The Property Care Association (PCA) says reports of the hybrid plants are on the rise. Also known as Hybrid knotweed, the plant could become a real concern if it gains a foothold nationally.

Dr Peter Fitzimons, group technical manager of the PCA’s Invasive Weed Control Group stated: “Bohemian knotweed, although less common, has been around for almost as long as the better-known Japanese knotweed, but is not always recognised.”

“As a result, it has remained largely below the radar, but the reason for concern is that these hybrid plants can be even more vigorous than the parent plants.”

“We also need to be alert as, in other parts of the world where Hybrid knotweed is more common, they are seeing signs of fertile seed production, known as backcrossing.”

“If so, this could be a major concern for the future as the existence of seed-producing hybrid knotweeds may enable these plants to spread even more rapidly.”

Listed under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, Japanese, Giant and Hybrid knotweed are all deemed as invasive and potentially destructive plants. They are steadily becoming more of a nuisance to home and business owners up and down the country because of their ability to spread quickly via their rhizome network.

Fitzsimons added that “since the PCA formed the Invasive Weed Control Group in 2012, we’ve always maintained the position that whilst this plant is disruptive around buildings it can be brought under control using established techniques and processes.”

“However, its presence can impact on the ability to gain a mortgage and on the development cost of land. More research is needed to see what the impact is of Bohemian knotweed, but for now, we should be aware of the issue.”

If you have spotted Bohemian, Giant or Japanese knotweed near your home, and like many homeowners in the UK are worried about the potential impact these invasive plants can have on your property. Then please do not risk it and get in touch with us here at Taylor Total Weed Control.

We provide professional, effective weed control services that ensure knotweed is completely eradicated. You can find our range of knotweed treatment plans below.

Knotweed Treatment Plans >

For more information on Bohemian knotweed, invasive plants or our treatment plans, then please do not hesitate to contact us today!